Renegades
by B1ackbird
Summary: The dragon realms are full of a myriad of stories, some more tragic than others. Not every dragon can be afforded the luxury and power of being born with purple scales after all. But if this thief and alchemist held by one of the last remaining ape clans are going to survive to see the new dawn, they'll need every trick in the book. Discontinued, do not bother reading
1. Eye of the Storm

**Renegades**

 **by B1ackbird**

 **Chapter 1 – Eye of the Storm**

With the fury of a thousand suns, the sky split open and unleashed a bolt of lightning. The brilliant bolt snaked down from the above, vaporizing countless raindrop as it honed in on its target. Striking true, the lightning fused with the top of a towering redwood, electricity racing down the trunk. Bark blasted off in every direction, the giant tree letting out a groan from the sudden influx of energy. A cacophonous boom celebrated the successful strike, all while the downpour continued unabated. As the flash receded, a series of soft thuds echoed through the forest, remnants of whichever birds made an unfortunate choice of shelter from the stormy night.

A low whistle sounded out from nearby as the night quieted, the observer nervously casting a glance toward the wounded tree not a hundred meters from where he stood. Thin armor plates clinked together as the figure turned to the rest of his companions, reaching a fur covered paw up to scratch the back of his neck. "That was close one, wazn't it?" The ape chuckled nervously as the rest of his simian companions turned to glower at him from the muddy ground. With a soft rustle of steel and leather, the other four apes slowly got back to their feet, many of them casting wary eyes skyward at the nearly invisible black ocean of clouds broiling above.

Another lightning flash briefly illuminated the scene. The five apes stood around in a rough circle, each one outfitted with a variety of steel and leather armor. They each bore a weapon of their choice, which ranged from a simple short sword to a rusted flail. Neatly holstered on every hip was small hand crossbow, with a modest quiver of bolts securely tied to the opposite thigh. Standing a little over five and a half feet tall, the apes were a far cry from the capable warriors they usually were, their dark gray fur drenched with rain and their armor coated in layers of mud. A thin fabric hood covered each of their heads, offering little cover from the torrential rains currently assailing them.

On the brow of each hood sat a crudely stitched white symbol. It depicted a jagged row of teeth, two of which jutted down to form a pair of razor sharp fangs, or as close an approximation to razor sharp fangs that the crude emblem could convey. A pale white orb was stitched to the tip of the rightmost fang, the shape constantly threatening to leap free of the hood and flutter away into the storm. It was a logo the apes bore proudly, even if the fear and respect it once commanded among the apes was all but lost to the past.

Not noticing the glares from his companions, the first ape spoke up again. "I mean, just a little bit more 'ver here, and it would have just jumped right down to us. You know, _Zap_!" The ape accentuated, flashing his empty hands for added emphasis. Again managing an anxious little grin, the ape glanced toward the leader of the expedition.

Standing over six feet tall, the brute was considerably more formidable than the others, covered as he was in full plate armor as opposed to the lighter arrangement worn by his subordinates. But the bright red and blue of his elongated nose bore little amusement at his subordinate's ramblings. "What an apt observation of how lighting works, Snag Tooth." The ape captain rumbled out, the other three apes taking the opportunity to take an extra step back away from the pair.

Snag Tooth, with the namesake single lower incisor that stuck out in front of his upper lip regardless of how he closed his mouth, just shrugged. "Well, I already know's that Captain Maim Wind, I was just thinking we ought to take shelter. Why, I haven't seen a storm this bad since..." The ape trailed off, his eyes almost rolling back into his head as his primate brain struggled to connect the dots. A full ten seconds of silence passed before Snag Tooth finally shook himself back to attention. "Ever." He finished, acting as if no interruption had occurred.

Maim Wind took a single step toward the opinionated ape, his voice low as his yellow eyes bored holes into the ape before him. "It's incredible that no one else here thought of that ourselves. Where exactly are you suggesting we take shelter Snag Tooth? "

Blissfully unaware of the captain's foul mood, Snag Tooth reach up to run a dirty claw along his exposed fang. "Why, 'ver there of course." He proclaimed, half turning as he pointed to the still smoldering tree a few hundred feet away. "I mean, it's already been hit once, what're the chances it'll get hit a second time, eh?" The ape grinned at his flawless logic, even as another roll of thunder rocked the sky.

A frustrated sigh slipped out of the Captain as he reached up to unhook one of the twin axes he had strapped across his back. Splashing through the mud, he was upon Snag Tooth in just a few strides. Finally realizing the danger he was in, the ape stumbled backwards, an apology already on the tip of tongue, but it was all for naught. With a practiced one handed swing, Maim Wind swung the weapon downward, the wooden shaft bumping the other ape's leg as he snagged the recess of the blade behind the ankle. With a furious tug, the Captain yanked the other ape's legs out from under him, Snag Tooth letting out a pained cry as he slammed into the muddy ground.

While Snag Tooth groaned, the Captain turned to address the rest of his detachment. "I won't lie to any of you, this storm is bad. Came out of nowhere too, so it wasn't like we could have planned for it. At any moment, one or all of us could be struck dead where we stand, and there's nothing we could do about it."

"But make no mistake," Maim Wind growled, pointing the tip of the single bladed ax down in the face of the prone Snag Tooth. "There isn't any shelter here. Not under any tree, not under any rock, and sure as hell not where lightning struck less than a minute ago!"

Stepping back to resume his place at the head of the squad, the Captain swung his ax off into the forest. "The only shelter around here is the Hollow. We got lighting rods there, they'll keep us safe enough. So if you want to get out of this rain and into something resembling a warm bed, I suggest you quite gawking and redouble your efforts to get this crate back to the War Chief."

The other apes nodded silently, their gazes drifting down to the forgotten wooden crate that sat in the middle of the soaked group. Along the two longer sides of the crate were a set of lengthy poles that stretched beyond the crates boundaries, the ends of each scratched from the apes' labors transporting the sizable cargo. The four footsoldiers, included the recently humiliated Snag Tooth, slowly trudged back to their posts. Grasping the poles in their shivering hand, the apes lifted as one and hoisted the crate back up into the air.

Just as they were about to head out, Snag Tooth slipped and fell a second time, splattering the rest of his armor with mud as the other apes cursed and tried to compensate. Maim Wind spun around, another reprimand forming on his lips when Snag Tooth began to point at the crate, shock and fear dancing across his features. "It's awake! Hey, it's awake already!"

Snag Tooth's proclamation was confirmed a moment later when the crate rocked violently to the other side, throwing two more apes down in the mud. "What gives?" One of them shouted as a series of thuds emanated from the now agitated crate. "I thought it was supposed to be out for another few hours!"

"Voxus must have gotten the dosage wrong." Maim Wind shot back, reaching up to unsheathe the second ax across his back, the two blades glinting menacingly as he gave the weapons a practiced spin. "What are you all waiting around for? If that thing gets loose, we'll never track it down in this storm!"

Even as the Captain spoke, the crate gave a sharp crack, one of the top corners jutting up as the nails holding the wood together buckled under the continuous assault. From within, the barrage came to a halt as a pair of pale talons peaked out of the gap, the hand within assessing the extent of the breach. The talons withdrew just as quickly as they had appeared and the thrashing resumed, this time wholly directed at the weakened corner.

Snag Tooth, perhaps attempting to make amends for his previous transgression, leaped forward as fast as his mud soaked armor allowed, throwing his body down on the lid. He was quickly joined by two more companions and together they succeeded in driving the lid flush with the walls once more even as the creature contained within renewed its bid for freedom. With his axes blazing in the light of another lightning flash, Maim Wind stood at the ready should the prisoner succeed.

Meanwhile, the final ape in the contingent wasn't bothering to assist with resealing the container. Instead, he had promptly drawn the small crossbow dangling from his hip, his other hand darting down to the small quiver to snag a blue-feathered bolt. Fingers scrabbling across the wet stock, the ape slammed the bolt in and pulled the arming mechanism back, the latch setting into place with a satisfying mechanical _click_. Pushing the other apes aside, the archer jammed the crossbow into the gap and pulled the trigger.

 _Thunk!_

A piercing scream radiated out of the crate, the struggling reduced to flurry of random bangs across the interior of the crate. The apes stood back and watched silently as the ruckus began to ebb, and finally come to a stop, the crate once more silently sitting in a puddle on the forest floor. Nodding in satisfaction, Maim Wind gestured to the archer who still stood with the crossbow lightly held in one hand. "Not bad, but you'd better hope that you didn't cause too much damage to the cargo." The ape in question only gulped in response, slowly hooking the crossbow back on his belt.

Turning back away, the Captain jerked his head deeper into the forest. "No point in trying to repair the crate, we're nearly there. Let's just keep moving for now." With nary a complaint among the group, the procession got back underway, slipping in between the towering arches of the trees as their path gradually increased in elevation. Craggy rock outcrops interspersed the forestry, the ape's footsteps now growing lighter by the sight of familiar landmarks. Just a little further, and they could forget all about this nightmare of an assignment.

The weary contingent nearly let out a whoop of joy when the flickering orange of torchlight greeted them. A small ramshackle hut materialized out of the rain, the single guard on duty quickly rising to attention at their approach. Brushing past the saluting soldier, Maim Wind pushed onwards onto a narrow wooden bridge. The ground dropped off beneath them, a jagged rift suddenly slicing through the forest with steep cliffs dropping down over a hundred feet to the bottom. Not that the sudden drop in elevation did much to hamper the growth of the towering redwoods, which both surrounded the valley and rocketed up from the fertile soil within. To the casual observer, it was a small enclave hidden away from the rest of the world. But to the apes, it was home sweet home.

It was between these towering giants that the capture party currently found themselves, the soldiers deftly maneuvering the damaged crate along the narrow wood and metal pathways hammered into the trucks of the trees. The entire settlement was a technical marvel, supported among tree trunks a dozen meters in diameter as well as the retaining walls of the bordering cliffs. A mesmerizing network of bridges, ladders, elevators and ramps all interlaced the structures situated anywhere that would support them. The vertical maze continued to populate all the way down to the distant ground, where the distant roar of a raging stream could be heard echoing around the canyon.

Blood Hollow, the native home of the Viper's Fang clan for the better part of a century. And if rumors were to be believed, possibly one of the last ape strongholds in existence.

The ape troop slowly made their way towards the center of the settlement, where the largest trees were situated. Stumbling into the modest dwelling at one of these grand trees, the apes all but collapsed into a shivering heap, the crate dropping heavily into the metal flooring of the dwelling. Remaining on his weary feet, Maim Wind waved a gloved paw at a trio of lightly dressed apes seated around a table hewn out of the trunk of the very tree they were occupying.

The three apes darted to their feet, snapping to attention as one of them addressed the new arrivals. "Ah, Captain Maim. I was wondering if you lot would manage to brave the storm to get back here." To the uninitiated, they might have been surprised to hear such a feminine voice come out of such a burly looking creature, but none of the apes present even batted an eye. The female ape still closely resembled her male counterparts, although slightly smaller and more lithe in structure. The most noticeable difference was in the nose, which was shorter and blunter than the males with more subdued shade of reds and blues.

The Captain only grunted in response, allowing himself to lean against the hollowed out tree trunk as a puddle slowly gathered beneath him. The newcomer's attention quickly switched to the battered crate, still flanked by the four exhausted haulers. "So you actually got it then?" The female inquired, taking a cautious step closer to the crate. "Out raiding our southern storehouses like the Chief said?"

"Aye." Maim Wind replied. "The booby trap worked fine, once it was sedated we managed to pin it down without too much trouble. But when this almighty storm swept up is where things got bad. Didn't help that it somehow woke up during transit, hence the damage. We had to dart it again, but it should be sleeping peacefully now." The Captain finished, giving a lazy wave to the corner of the lid that still poked up at an odd angle.

"The little thief is probably be the only one getting some sleep tonight if this downpour keeps up," the female sniffed. Moving around the other boxes that dotted the room, she reached out and grasped the handle of a short shovel. "But at least this shouldn't take too long. Captain, I'd like you and your men to stay until we're all set, in case this thing is much more active than you claim." The female stalked over to the crate, shovel in hand, the tired males parting in her wake.

Maim Wind shook his head, pushing himself back off the wall. "Don't go opening that just yet, these boys are just barely standing as is. At least let me get some fresh troops first."

The female only smirked in response. Jamming the tip of the shovel into the gap between the lid and box, she began to emphatically pump the handle up and down. More nails began to pop as the lid slowly lifted up, the first flickers of torchlight filtering into the interior. "Oh, what's the matter? You big, strong gentleapes all worn out by a little rain and-"

Whatever else she was about to say was lost as the lid suddenly ripped free of the box, sending stray splinters of wood all over the floor. The female ape gave a cry of surprise as she stumbled back, the shovel flying out of her hands to clatter loudly on the floor at the opposite end of the room. As the rest of the apes watched in astonishment, the crate tipped sideways, spilling its single occupant out onto the floor.

The dragoness drew in a ragged breath as she took in the sight before her. In the dimly lit room, it was difficult to ascertain exactly which end of her was which, the sheer blackness of her scales absorbing every beam of light that struck them. The same bleak shade continued across her chest and wing membranes, all the way up to the four tips of her jet black horns, the more central pair slightly taller than the exterior ones. Indeed, the only speck of color on the dragoness' body were the whites of her eyes, where twin crimson iris rapidly darted to and fro. On one cheek of her elegantly curved face, a slight trickle of blood ran down her scales, the imperfection on what would otherwise be a lovely teenage dragon.

Time seemed to slow as the dragoness analyzed the room. She appeared to be in some kind of hut, with a storm raging just a thin wall away, completely surrounded by filthy apes. The ape opening her prision had been suitably surprised by the dragoness' well-timed strike and was currently lying prone after hitting their head on another nearby crate. The rest of the room's occupants seemed equally surprised by her sudden revival, mouths open in shock. Out of the corner of her eye, the dragoness noted four dripping apes standing in a loose line across the door frame, blocking her most immediate method of escape. Just four apes between her and freedom...Or was it eight?

Mentally berating herself, the dragoness forced herself to blink, willing her vision to realign into a single point of reference. She had been lucky, having driven herself to the far side of her miniscule container upon hearing the crossbow cock back. The bolt had only grazed her cheek, but the poison laced into the tip was still wreaking havoc on her system. Her head felt like it weighted a million tons and drowsiness still threatened to consume her whole. But she couldn't think about any of that now, she had to move, she had to escape!

"Get the dragon!" A voice thundered off to her right and the dragoness whipped her head around to see the ape captain barreling toward her, hands outstretched as he dove to tackle her. Thankfully, this hadn't been the first time the dragoness had found herself in a similar situation, and she let instinct take over. Her scales seemed to shimmer and flex as power coursed over them, her entire being humming with the energy. As the ape loomed above her, she closed her eyes and felt herself sink into nothingness.

The captain crashed to the ground with a noise akin to thunder from the storm outside. Pushing himself up, the ape blinked in shock to see his paws empty, no trace remaining of the dragon he had been about to pin. The only thing out of the ordinary was the black pool that hung below the ape, the shadow writhing and twisting as though it was alive...

As the bewildered captain watched, the shadow formed into a single blob and shot away from him, easily weaving around the ruins of the crate and right under the feet of his tired men. The shadow paused at the threshold of the hut, a black foreleg poking out of the darkness as the dragoness reformed herself. The dragoness briefly locked eyes with the captain's own razor sharp gaze before she turned away and bounded out the door.

"Over there, it went over there!" A shout issued from behind her, the captain attempting to rouse the stunned apes to action. "Don't just stand there, raise an alarm! Don't let that dragon escape!"

Outside, the dragoness slid to a halt, her claws scraping up the wooden platform as she nearly ran straight off the edge. Squinting around the dark forest, the dragoness quickly scanned the ape settlement, noting the patches of flickering light from each occupied hut. The storm ragged on above, but the cluster of tree branches overhead provided slight shelter from the slanting rain. It did little to abate the whistling wind though, as gust after gust continually tore through the ravine she now found herself in. Still, since she was so high up, it ought to be a simple matter to just open her wings and glide away to the forest floor...

"Gotcha!" The dragoness let out a startled gasp as clammy hands wrapped around her midriff, dragging her down to the floor. One of the apes, the insufferable one with the jutting tooth, had successfully waylaid her plans. Illuminated in the flash of another lighting bolt, she saw the ape grinning at her, his simian features leering closer to her own as she watched. The wet musk of damp fur washed over her, and the dragoness was almost immediately overcome with an intense desire to throw up.

The stench only got worse as the ape opened his mouth to speak again. "Don't you struggle no more, I gotcha now and I ain't-" She didn't let him finish the sentence. Snaking her tail out under the ape's guard, she lashed out at the simian's exposed face, the fish-hook tail blade easily finding purchase in the soft skin around the ape's nose. The ape gave out a strangled cry and the dragoness felt his grip momentarily loosen. Without a moment of hesitation, she bent her hind legs and kicked back, delivering a solid blow to the ape's chest.

Blinded by the cut and sent off balance by the kick, the ape stumbled away. For the briefest of moments, he teetered on the edge of the platform before plummeting from sight. A moment later, a loud crash and a flurry of confused shouting confirmed that he had dropped down a few levels and through the roof of another one of the huts.

 _Thunk!_ The dragoness flinched as a crossbow bolt buried itself in the floor beside her, having just barely missed her body by a few inches. Looking back, she saw the remaining soldiers outlined in the door of the hut, their captain a dark silhouette behind them. One ape had an empty crossbow pointed at her, or at least where he thought she had been, while the other two were quickly loading their own bolts for a follow up volley. Deciding that it was now or never, the dragoness sucked in a deep breath and dove off the platform, the whizzing of bolts pelting through the air after her.

From the very second she flared her wings, she knew she had made a grave mistake. The wind immediately pulled the membranes taught, dragging the dragoness through the air in an uncontrolled tumble. Rain pelted at her eyes, practically blinding her as she flailed helplessly. Swinging her tail back and forth, she managed to right herself just in time to crash through a row of oncoming branches. Pine needles raked her scales as jagged bits of wood poked and threatened to impale her. And then she was falling again, even more out of control than before.

The lightheadedness only intensified as she pumped her wings in a rhythm, attempting to locate a wind current she could glide on. Blinking more rain out of her eyes, the dragoness just made out the next obstacle in her path. It was another inhabited tree, the walkways looming dead ahead. Thankfully, this tree appeared to be mercifully lacking of hairy brutes. Flaring her wings, she tried to angle herself a little to the right... no, the left... or was it right again? If only she could see straight and not have this damned poison coursing through her veins...

As it turned out, she needn't have worried whether it was the right or left, as the storm decided for her. As she approached the tree, a sudden downdraft caught her by surprise, forcing her wings to crumple up against her back. Bracing herself for an impact, the dragoness slammed down into one of the circular walkways around the middle of the tree. Bouncing up from the impact, the dragoness managed to have enough presence of mind to reach out and dig her claws into the wood, ignoring the pain rising up from her joints. Another bounce and a few rolls later, the dragoness came to a halt, her rear legs dangling off the far end of the walkway.

Tucking her wings back against her body, the dragoness slowly pulled herself back up onto the platform. Between the poison and the wind doing everything it could to tear her to pieces, flying was out for the moment. Besides, there was no guarantee the ground would be any safer from the ape menace than the tree houses. After checking to ensure that she was alone, the dragoness opted to take a quick breather and consider her options.

She was in the middle of nowhere, being hunted down by apes in their home territory, with each of them carrying a slew of poisoned crossbow bolts that they clearly had a lot of practice using. Not too bad, she had been through worse, she must have at some point. Her options were pretty limited though, with fleeing being ruled out by the storm and any attempt to fight back being a suicide mission. But maybe if she could just wait things out for a bit...

Yeah, that could work. Find some ape hovel that they weren't likely to check and sit the storm out. Maybe even help herself to some more of their food if she found another storehouse. By the time the weather cleared, the sedative would hopefully have worn off and she would be free to make a proper break for it. Sure, the crossbows would still be a problem, but their compact nature probably meant they didn't have too much in the way of range. If she could just fly high enough, she would be home free. Figuratively speaking of course, it's not like she actually had a home to head back to.

The dragoness was shaken from her revery by the pounding of footsteps and flickering of torches above her. The platforms that she had come from were well and truly swarming with apes now, little patches of torch light shimmering amid the rain and tree branches as the colony came to life. Straining her ears, she could just barely make out the captain from before belting out orders to any who would listen. "Spread out and find them! They can't have left the Hollow, not in weather like this. Comb the ground, but also check the lower platforms. Get me the rest of the captains, I need all apes to..."

As a few squads were rapidly converging on her location, the dragoness gave up listening and took off at a light jog, remembering to keep her footsteps softer than the ambient noise of the storm. Balancing along a dubiously constructed rope bridge, the dragoness pressed onwards, moving as fast as she dared away from the main hive of ape activity. Her scales offered her an unparalleled camouflage in this environment, and the apes were limited to whatever they could see in the torch light. As long as she stayed ahead of the main search parties, she would be fine.

Unfortunately, her luck took another turn for the worse. Ahead, she could see additional spots of orange light blooming into life as more and more apes were woken up by the ruckus. A noisy bang echoed out of the hut she was slinking past, startling the dragoness and causing her to hug the wall as orange light poured out of the windows. Moving as stealthy as she could, the dragoness made her way across to the next bridge, another darkened tree looming before her.

As she circumvented the trunk, the dragoness came to a halt. From here, there was only two additional bridges to traverse, and one of them was already occupied by a small squad of apes standing in the wan light of a lantern. To her surprise, it almost looked as though one of the apes was struck with some form of dwarfism, until she realized with a start that it was just a child. An unarmed family they may be, but they would still alert the others to her presence. And the others would come packing crossbows.

"Over here! Claw marks on the tree!" The shout came from where she had her crash landing, the entire area now ablaze with torches and lanterns. The apes had her scent and time was running out. Encouraged by the yelling, the ape family began to carefully move across the bridge towards her, the young child clinging tightly to what she presumed was the mother. More apes filtered out of the huts from the tree she had just come from, removing any possibility of doubling back. With no other option left, the dragoness took the only unoccupied bridge, her scales prickling as she felt how exposed she was. All it would take was one poorly timed lightning flash...

She wasn't more than halfway across the bridge when she felt her stomach drop. The tree she was currently running to was much thinner than most of the others, and as a result had only one shabby hut and two bridges connecting to it. On the opposite bridge, she could already see a small collection of apes making their way toward her. Since the tree ahead only consisted of one level, the only way off was another tangle with the fickle tempest of the wind. She was trapped. Cornered.

The dragoness quickly scanned the platform ahead of her, looking for something, anything, that could save her. No alcoves or nooks to slip into presented themselves, her only remaining option was the hut. But if the lack of activity within was anything to go by, this might just be the empty storeroom she had been searching for. But if she guessed wrong, she could be landing in the lap of a recently awoken and very cranky ape with nowhere left to run. She always could try her chances on the wind again...

The apes ahead of her reached the platform, splitting into two groups to cover both sides of the trunk. Making up her mind, the dragoness dashed forward along the bridge. With the door already in sight of the apes, her only remaining option was the single window facing her bridge. As the apes trundled closer she leaped forward, claws latching onto the thin wooden cross work covering the window, which easily gave way as she flew into the room.

Landing as softly as she could manage, the dragoness winced as the wooden grate clanked noisily on the floor. Digging her claws into the wood, the dragoness suppressed a gasp as she almost collided head first with a crude stool and table along the room's interior wall. Weaving around the legs of the furniture, the dragoness tucked herself down under the table, hoping beyond hope that her ploy had worked. Weak light filtered through the door of the hut, which she was separated from by what looked to be a set of iron bars. She could see the apes in the doorway, remembering only at the last second to close her eyes to fully blend into the darkness. Squeezing them shut, the dragoness recited a prayer to the ancestors in her head, promising the most outlandish claims in return for the apes not checking inside the hut, vowing never to steal again for as long as she lived. It was a promise she had no intention of keeping, but the ancestors didn't need to know that, right?

That's when she heard it. A slight cough and a rustling coming from beneath the window. With her heart hammering in her throat, the dragoness slowly turned and opened her eyes.

The room wasn't unoccupied, there was already someone in here. And they were staring right at her.


	2. The Viper's Fang

**Chapter 2: The Viper's Fang**

For a split second, the dragoness thought her heart had stopped. There was someone already in this rickety excuse for a house, someone that she had evidently woken up with her reckless dive through the window. There was no time to slip away, no time to silence the owner of the teal blue eyes without alerting the apes outside...

Wait, teal blue eyes? When was the last time she had ever seen an ape with eyes large enough for her to easily identify the color from this distance? Unless, of course, it wasn't an ape at all.

Her suspicion was immediately confirmed as enough lantern light from outside leaked into the abode, giving her the first real glimpse at the figure opposite her. It was another dragon roughly her age, his head and flanks covered in scales that appeared to be a deep emerald hue. The belly and single wing she could see from her vantage point were both darkly scaled as well, although not to the degree of her own shading. The square jawline confirmed that the dragon was indeed a male, although he seemed malnourished to the point that his waist and chest were just barely wider than her own. The final thing she noticed was the dragon's horns, which stuck straight up out of the back of his head in a tight zigzag, as if they couldn't agree to grow in the same direction for more than an inch.

Whatever mixture of relief and confusion at seeing her own kind again quickly died as she saw the dragon open his mouth, moments away from making some vocalization in alarm. The dragoness' eyes flicked up to the open window, where she could just make out the hulking outline of an ape marching past, the simian's gaze mercifully focused on the dark forest outside. With no other options availble, the dragoness realized she had no other option but to dip into her elemental powers once more.

Darkness enveloped her as she sank down into the floorboards, becoming one with her shadow. Shadow phasing was one of the most basic abilities a shadow dragon like her possessed, but it was also one of the most versatile. From getting behind enemies to slipping under doors, a lot of possibilities opened up if you surrendered most of your physical form. The only real drawbacks were the biting chill that ate away at any submerged body parts, the fact that she couldn't get almost any vertical gain and the sheer strain it took to keep herself phased. There wasn't anything she could do about the first two hindrances, but she was running dangerously close to her limit on the last point.

Opening her eyes, or whatever now constituted as her eyes, the dragoness gazed back up into the room she had just vacated. Much like looking up from underwater, the room was oddly distorted and alien. Static objects were slanted at odd angles and any semblance of order was constantly disrupted by the ever-shifting nature of shadows. Gone were color, noise, and anything else that gave the world life and vibrancy. There was only darkness and light, the bright beams pouring through the window slicing effortlessly through the murky blackness.

Gazing through the void, she quickly located the other dragon, who appeared to be in the process of blinking in surprise at her sudden departure. The dragoness didn't so much as walk or paddle her way forward, she simply focused on where she wanted to go and willed herself in that direction. The shadow slithered forward, easily bending around the cumbersome legs of the table and across to the nest of small branches the other dragon had been resting in. As she hovered right before the unaware dragon, she forced herself to relax, releasing her elemental power and allowing herself to float back up to the surface of the shadow.

A black scaled paw shot out of the improvised bedding, claws wrapping securely around the dragon's muzzle before he could utter a single word. The rest of the dragoness followed momentarily and she took the opportunity to quickly pin the rest of the dragon down, least his struggling gave her away. She felt the dragon's jaw work against her grip, wide eyes darting around as he tried to piece together what was happening. She stared right back at him, with an intensity that she hoped would imply the absolute necessity of his cooperation.

Gruff voices tricked in through the window as the bulk of the ape patrol passed directly by, orange light flooding in from their sputtering torches. Not even daring to breath despite her lungs already burning after her shadow phase, the dragoness forced herself against the male, the two of them huddled just below the influx of light. She felt the other dragon go still and noticed his own eyes were now also fixed on the window above them, likely praying that an ape head would not come poking through. But the footsteps outside didn't even pause as the apes continued past, the torchlight sliding along the walls of the room until it winked out. The two dragons continued to lay there as the noises of the ape patrol slowly faded into the ambiance of the storm.

Removing her paw from the other dragon's muzzle, the dragoness cautiously poked her head up above the windowsill. The apes were in the middle of crossing the bridge she had just traversed herself and it looked as though not a single one had noticed anything had been amiss. Ignoring the pained gasp the came from beneath her as she used him as a stepping stool, the dragoness stood up a little taller to note the position of the few other patrols also winding their way through the vertical maze. "Looks like we're in the clear. For now anyways." She finally spoke, her soft voice barely louder than the constant drumming of the rain.

"What are you doing here!?" The dragoness rolled her eyes at the harsh whisper drifting up from her feet. As far as first impressions go, the other dragon was hardly endearing himself to her. What, was he too good for an exclamation of _Thank the ancestors you're here_?

The dragon let out another pained grunt as she gracefully hopped back off of him, performing a pirouette as she landed so that she could finally get a good look at him. The dragon cautiously rose to his feet, regarding her with a wary stare as his tail whisked back and forth across his nest of branches. The next lightning flash confirmed that the dragon's secondary colors more closely resembled an ash gray. His tail blade also looked like it could do quite a bit of damage, with three evenly spaced blades gently curving away only to converge again at the very tip. Perhaps most notable was the dragon's forepaws, the talons of which extended a good four inches away from the pads. Sure, every dragon liked to maintain a set of claws to do everything from slashing opponents to opening letters, but she knew that they got to be more of pain when left to grow that long. Almost every step would have to be carefully considered to avoid breaking a tip.

"I said, what are you doing here?" The dragoness blinked and locked eyes with the other dragon, who had lowered himself into a defensive stance. "Don't you have any idea what kind of danger you're in right now?"

"No, I was just taking a casual stroll through ape-infested trees in the middle of the worst thunderstorm in the century." The dragoness sarcastically replied. Already losing interest in the emerald dragon, she strode back over to the window. "And to answer your question, I was attempting to escape a few moments ago. But now it looks like I'm stuck doing a prison break instead."

Without waiting for his reply, the dragoness leaped back onto the outside walkway, quickly checking both of the connecting bridges for any ape presence. The jailhouse seemed to hang separate from the rest of the complex, and mercifully seemed to lack any sort of ape presence. But elsewhere, the situation had only gotten worse. Everywhere she looked, the orange glow of torches and lanterns now covered every tree at one point or another. The apes were well and truly awake now, snatches of guttural shouting still drifting her way on the stiff wind. This wasn't going to be easy, especially with her new tag-along companion...

With a dull _thump_ , the dragon stumbled out of his window, claws clicking noisily on the metal flooring. As she sensed him approach from behind her, the dragoness took a wild guess at what he was about to say. _Are you crazy? There's no way both of us can make it out of here with all these apes on our tail._

"Are you insane? You'll never make it out of the Hallow, especially with the entire clan looking for you!" Remarkable, he had matched her prediction almost word for word. A dragon of few words, most of them dedicated to pointing out the obvious.

As he drew abreast of her, she expertly shot her paw out, silencing him before he could utter another word. Taking her eyes off the mesmerizing river of light created by the searching apes, she looked over to see him giving her another droll stare at having his jaw forcibly restrained for the second time in less than a minute. Ignoring the look, she leaned back on her haunches, using her other forepaw to point down to the dark forest floor before.

"Alright, here's the plan. We'll jump off here and glide down to the ground. It can't be more than a hundred feet, so we'll be fine if we take it nice and slow." The dragoness rattled off, her mind racing as she calculated the best trajectory to take this time around. "Once we're down there, it'll be a piece of cake to dodge any remaining apes until we get clear."

The dragoness released her paw to let the other dragon speak, but she immediately reconsidered as another thought popped into her head. Snapping his jaws back shut before he could so much as inhale, the dragoness leveled the most serious expression she could at the other dragon. "And let me make something perfectly clear. I'm helping you because it's the decent thing to do. But since the two of us are going to get out of here by the skin of our teeth in the best case scenario, I won't be coming back to help you spring whatever other buddies the apes have locked up around here, got it?"

Silence stretched over the solitary platform for the span of several heartbeats before the dragoness realized she still had an iron grip on the other dragon's muzzle. Sheepishly letting go, she watched as the other dragon carefully cleared his throat before replying. "I'm the only prisoner here, so you don't have to worry about coming back for anyone else." The dragoness nodded and turning away, cautiously spreading her wings as she crept forward to the edge of the platform. Taking advantage of another burst of light from the storm to plan her final route, the dragoness coiled her legs and leaned forward, ready to-

"No, wait!" The dragoness let out a hiss of pain as she felt claws rake through her scales at the base of her hook-shaped tail blade. Forcing herself back from the precipice, the dragoness glared at her companion who was backing off apologetically. Another reason why claw filing was considered good hygiene, you tended to unintentionally cut anything that crossed your path. Things such as the tail of the dragoness going out of her way to save your sorry hide for instance.

Quickly cleaning his bloodied claws off in a shallow puddle, the dragon shook his head. "Don't, that plan's not going to work. The ravine is a sheer cliff at one end and a fortified gate at the other, you'd be cornered like a rat in a trap if you went down there. Not to mention that the floor is where the apes keep all of their other animals. Like their pack of Death Hounds for instance. If one of those got your scent..." The dragon trailed off, the implicit threat hanging in the air between them until the next roll of thunder washed it away.

Barely repressing a sigh of frustration, the dragoness sat back to ponder their situation. Dragging her tail around to her front, she winced as she probed the mercifully shallow set of cuts near the tip. "Well, I guess flying is out entirely, since we can't go higher without enjoying a nice electric barbeque. So what's your proposal genius? You seem to know your way around here."

Her query seemed to catch the dragon by surprise, and he remained silent for the span of several seconds. Carefully stroking his chin with one paw, he finally looked back up at her. "We'd have to exit from one of the walkways that connects to the top of the ravine. The closest one would be at that tree over there." He pointed and the dragon twisted her head around to behold one of the trees several bridges away, the solid wall of the ravine only just visible as an expansive monolith in the distance. And of course, the tree in question was one of the most brightly lit in the vicinity, and even from here she could see the shadows of apes moving across the platforms. As a new plan began to form in her head, the other dragon continued on. "I can't say I'd advise it though, that's bound to be one of the most heavily guarded points in the camp by now."

"Well, that shouldn't be any problem for a big strong earth dragon like yourself." The dragoness muttered. Standing up in one fluid motion, she flicked her tail at the other dragon, intentionally splattering his already soaked face with even more droplets of water. "Besides, we don't need to fight them all, we just need to punch a hole straight through. Now let's get a move on, I think I see a way to get across to there without being spotted."

"But I'm not-" the dragon cut himself off as the sound of voices drifted back to them as the wind suddenly switched direction. The ape patrol from before was coming back their way, an argument between two of the subordinates the only forewarning either dragon got before the group rounded the adjacent tree trunk. Without any further communication, the two dragons scampered off down the unoccupied bridge, each hoping that their darker color palettes were enough to camouflage them from any onlookers.

Reaching the next tree without incident, the shadow dragoness immediately curled herself around a frail little ladder connecting this level to the one above. All told, it looked as though this tree and all its neighbors had three levels, of which they occupied the bottommost of at the moment. Awkwardly hooking her paws into the contraption not designed for draconic use, the dragoness spared one last glance at the other dragon. "We need to be quiet from here on out, but one last question. What's your name anyways? In case I need to scratch it onto a gravestone later."

"My name?" To the dragoness' surprise, the seemingly simple question seemed to have caused the strange dragon to become lost in his thoughts. Frowning, she returned her focus to the ladder and began the long process of hauling herself up. By wrapping both of her forelegs around the next rung before advancing her hind legs up, she was able to make reliable progress, although not nearly as fast as she would have liked. Below her, she felt vibrations shake the ladder as the other dragon copied her actions. They were more than halfway up when he finally spoke. "Xavier. My name's Xavier."

The dragoness only grunted in response. Reaching the top a few moments later, she peeked over the edge to confirm that the next ledge was indeed abandoned before hauling herself up. Twisting back around, she knelt and offered a paw down to the dragon coming up right behind her. Grasping the outstretched appendage gently as to not cause unintentional harm, Xavier allowed her to pull him up until they were both standing together in the darkened downpour.

The dragoness held onto his paw a moment longer before finally letting go. "Kayla." She spoke, answering the question hanging between them. Turning away, she gestured down the grove ahead, the platforms before them now sprinkled with idling apes. "Well Xavier, since we're now the best of friends, we have an ape encampment to escape."

Had Kayla been watching Xavier as she spoke, she might have caught a glint of some dark emotion glittering in the dragon's eyes. But instead, Xavier only nodded and silently followed in her footsteps with his slightly lopsided gait. Unbeknownst to either of them, another pair of eyes watched them depart from the level above. Quickly noting the direction the dragons were traveling, the wooden platforms creaked in protest as the figure moved off as stealthily as his hulking form would allow.

The dragons made steady progress, with Kayla scouting ahead a few steps and Xavier doing his best to make himself scarce. As it turned out, Kayla's detour to the jail worked out in her favor as the apes had already dispersed to cover as much ground as possible, leaving the upper levels of the village mostly abandoned. Indeed, they were much more at risk from the females, elders, and even children that were staking out the various houses they passed. But as long as the dragons watched themselves around windows and doors, no alarms were raised.

But before they knew it, the unlikely duo were nearly there, Kayla all but springing off the third to last bridge in their route. They were on the middle level of a listing and ancient tree, the wood much too brittle to support anymore than a few shabby walkways. Serving as a commuter node, the tree was surrounded by walkways on all sides, but almost none of them were occupied. Quietly creeping around the trunk, Kayla studied their final destination. One penultimate slanted rope bridge connected her platform to the much high elevation of the next tree's only level. And on the far side of that small little rotunda, she could just make out the outline of the another span of wood and metal stretching across to the cliffs. The bridge to freedom.

It wasn't going to be easy of course. Xavier hadn't been kidding when he said it would be well guarded. Already, she could see two miserable looking apes at the opposite end of the immediate bridge, both carrying torches and watching the path for any sign of the escapees. There wasn't going to be any way to sneak past them, that much was for sure. The hollowed out tree that served as a guardhouse also seemed to be brimming with reinforcements if the dancing shadows within were anything to go by. Not to mention the guards likely posted at both ends of the final bridge, and-

A blur of motion from above interrupted the dragoness' train of thought as something hurtled towards her. Reacting purely on instinct, the dragoness slipped back into her shadow only to reemerge a moment later a few paces back. Using the phase shift to give herself plenty of momentum, Kayla lightly landed on her feet next to the stunned Xavier even as the titanic creature crashed into the boards where she had been a moment ago. The whole tree groaned and Kayla quickly reshuffled her footing as the entirety of the walkway shook from the impact. Steadying herself once more, she glanced back up toward the unexpected intrusion. And in the light of the next lighting flash, she felt her blood run cold.

It was an ape. Not some defenseless female or funky soldier, but a true behemoth. As he rose up from a crouch, the horrendous scraping from the imposing armor plates covering most of his body grated against her ears. Easily towering well over six and a half feet tall, the ape dwarfed any that she had seen before. The titan appeared unarmed apart from a hunting knife securely holstered in a leather sheath across his chest, although the numerous spikes imbedded in his reenforced gauntlets suggested that this was intentional. His silhouette cut a defining outline against the black night sky, his right shoulder plate buffed up to the point that it almost rivaled his head in size.

And his face... Like most of the other apes she had seen tonight, the ape only wore a hood above his neck, the brow carrying the same pale fangs as the other apes. Two black pits faintly glittered from the shadows, eyes firmly locked on the two dragons before him. Only the ape's muzzle stuck out from the hood, the usual red and blue coloring marred by systematic streaks of white scar tissue. It was too neat to be a war wound, the scars being both evenly spaced and perfectly vertical in their construction. _Does that mean, he did all that... to himself?_ Kayla marveled with a gut wrenching sense of dread, the realization all but ensuring the two adolescent dragons were all but guaranteed to lose a fight against such a monster.

It was this same scarred mouth that slowly broke into a wide smile as the ape beheld the scene before him. Bringing his two paws together in a mighty clap, the ape let out a low chuckle. "Well done little dragons, well done indeed. It appears as if you almost made it."

Forcing the beginnings of fear that were bubbling up from within away before they showed on her face, Kayla grasped Xavier's shoulder as she pulled him away from the ape. Even if things had taken a turn for the worst, she wasn't going to give up yet. There were other ways out, Xavier had only pointed her towards the closest route. They would just have to rely on speed and maneuverability until they reached the next ravine bridge...

The dragons had taken only a few steps in the other direction when they again skidded to a halt. From around the corner of the trunk, another squad of apes silently filed out, cutting them off. Although few in number, this next group was again led by two more imposing figures in full plate armor. One of them was the same captain from before, sneering down at her as he spun his two axes in a lazy circle that spanned the entire walkway. Just behind him, the second captain stood silent and impassive, nonchalantly digging the tip of his two handed sword into the wood as he gripped the pommel with both hands. Okay, so maybe things were really getting dicey now, but Kayla wasn't done yet.

Ignoring the suddenly gasp of fear from Xavier, she changed direction again, dragging him along towards the edge of the platform. All they had to do was dive off and land on a lower level on an adjacent tree. In the middle of the thunderstorm. With nothing but a presumably baying pack of Death Hounds awaiting them if they dipped too low. But there was no time to think about any of that, she knew she had to act in the next few seconds or both of them would wind up dead.

 _Crack!_

Kayla reared back, claws desperately digging into the wood as she and Xavier jerked to a halt. Just inches in front of her, the wood of the walkway had been split by a fletched bolt over a foot in length. Noting the angle of the indent, Kayla allowed her eyes to scroll upwards to an upper walkway spanning two nearby trees. Sure enough, another line of apes was present there, the hand crossbows from before now replaced with the full sized variants. Kayla felt a shudder run through her as she regarded the bolt wedged into the walkway before her. They wouldn't even need to bother with poison on these, all it would take was one hit in the right spot and she would be finished. Kayla was fast, but she wasn't sure that she wanted to find out if she was fast enough to beat the archer's trigger fingers just yet.

"I wouldn't bother, you're completely surrounded by now. Both here and on all the nearby lower levels." Kayla whipped around as the large ape spoke again. His surprisingly melodic voice easily drifted in one ear and out the other, the sound almost comforting if it wasn't for the situation she currently found herself in. The very thought of such an elegant voice in such a repugnant creature brought a fierce snarl as she regarded the ape with renewed venom. Behind her, she felt Xavier cower away, the dragon evidently unable to bring himself to even look the ape in the face.

If anything, Kayla's defiance seemed only to amuse the ape further. Placing one arm across his waist, he took a grand bow before his assembled audience. "But where are my manners? I am Rakk, leader of the Viper's Fang. And we merely wish to extend our hospitality to you, young dragoness."

"Go fuck yourself." The dragoness shot back. "Just because you're one of the only ones here to actually tell I'm a girl doesn't mean that your flea-bitten brain could hope to put together a plan to stop us from getting out of here."

Rising from the bow, Rakk put on a wounded expression, even though a confident grin lurked just out of sight. "Sharp words from one who's been pilfering our hard earned rations for the past week in order to survive. But for your information, I do know quite a bit about dragons, unlike some of my underlings. I've read as many of your books as I could acquire, which obviously includes your basic anatomy. Gender is quite easy to tell, as well as the best place in which to snap the neck."

A wave of dark laughter washed over all the apes in earshot at Rakk's speech. Taking advantage of the momentary lapse in concentration, Kayla reassessed their situation. Although probably more forgiving than the warlord before them, the rest of the walkway was a no go judging by the slowly increasing number of apes behind them. Kayla only had enough elemental power for one or two more phases, there was no way she could move through the entire crowd before running out of energy. The archers still kept her away from the edge, but that route was looking more and more appealing as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Kayla spared a glance at her companion. Xavier's eyes were glued to the walkway, tail wrapped tightly around his seated form. It looked like she couldn't count on any sudden bouts of heroism from him, once again leaving her to rely only on her own devices. Typical.

"You like my scars?" Kayla forced her attention back on Rakk as he took a menacing step toward them. Reaching up, the ape gave his nose a confident tap with a gloved hand, running his finger across the ridge. "I make a new one each time I kill one of your kind. Fire, Ice, Fear, Wind, Warrior, Healer, Elder..." The ape paused, his finger resting on one of the more slanted scars near the tip of his nose. "...Even children."

Kayla made up her mind. She was going to leave Xavier behind. It wasn't a decision that sat well with her, but there was no other choice. Whatever his element was, it clearly wasn't shadow, and she couldn't see a way for a non-shadow dragon to get out of this in one piece. She doubted he even wanted to move at this point, having already completely given into despair. At least they would probably settle for just throwing him back into his cell. Yeah, he would survive, she was sure of it, although the gravestone jest from earlier was already looming in the back of her mind.

But as for her own escape plan, Kayla was quite impressed with herself. While more apes had continued to file in behind her, Rakk remained the only obstacle in front of them. The ape was intimidating, but she was willing to bet that he had never gone up against a shadow dragon before. Her phased shadow would slip in between his legs before he even realized she was there, then all she needed was to break through the final bridge guards and she would be home free. As an added bonus, she might even trick the archers into firing on their own leader in panic. She was going to do this, and it was going to work. As her old mentor had told her all those years ago, confidence was key. If she knew it would work, then it would. It was as simple as that.

Turning away to face the edge of the platform again, Kayla crouched down, her leg muscles tensing in preparation to pounce. To any onlookers, it appeared as though she was preparing to take a flying leap into the dark abyss beyond. When in reality, she was welling the remnants of her elemental power, ready to sink down and dash toward the ape warlord. From above, Kayla could hear the archers hunkering down against the rain, readying themselves to fire. _And now for the final quip_. She smugly thought to herself. "Sorry to disappoint, but you'll just have to play doctor some other time, you Sakk of crap!"

But Rakk didn't react the way she expected him to. Instead of laughing confidently or flying into a rage, the ape merely clasped his hand and tilted his head, glittering eyes regarding her passively. "On the contrary my dear, I won't have to lift a single claw to stop you." Rakk spoke evenly, his voice ringing out across the storm-swept tree tops. Kayla was a moment away from springing into action when she noticed the ape's head shift upwards a tick, his eyes now locking onto something just behind her. "But he will."

 _Gahh_ _hh_ _!_ Kayla let out an unintentional cry of pain as three blades of blinding pain suddenly lanced down her exposed side. All thoughts of escape momentarily forgotten, she stumbled toward Rakk, her right foreleg reaching past to explore the damage. It was bad, there were at least three slices that had cut through her abdomen just in front of her hind leg. They were all shallow, but that did little stop the flow of warm blood that dripped across her paw to the walkway below. Unable to remain standing on three legs, the dragoness dropped to the ground with a heavy crash, the pain flaring up again at the impact.

Her heart pounding in her ears, Kayla felt her breath catch as the burning sensation began to spread out across the rest of her hind quarters. Forcing herself to look up, Kayla squinted her now bleary sight to see just who had managed to sneak up and land such a devastating blow on her. At first, she saw nothing, no ape, no crossbow bolts, nothing out of the ordinary. That was until she noticed Xavier.

The dragon was standing still, glaring down at her. Gone was the uncertainty, gone was the hesitancy she had noticed ever since they had first met. Instead, his face was an impassive mask, the teal blue eyes drilling two holes deep into her skull. He held one of his forepaws aloft, the long talons dripping with a combination of her blood and... and something else too. Kayla felt her paw slide down from her wound, the limb now numb and foreign to her. Something else... she had felt this same way before, just a few hours ago...

The ape captains were moving forward now, weapons still held at the ready as they crept towards the two dragons. For a split second, Kayla thought to cry out, to warn Xavier about what was right behind him. But her mouth wouldn't work right, the taste of iron spreading over her limp tongue. And even as she watched on helpless, the captains reached Xavier only to calmly pass around him on either side.

The pieces finally clicked together. The unguarded jail cell, the emerald scales, the poisoned bolts. The obviously insane leader keeping a random teenage dragon just hanging around their main base. How could she be stupid enough not to see it sooner?!

The darkness was clawing at the edge of her consciousness now, threatening to swallow her whole. She couldn't move anymore, and keeping her head aloft was taking most of her willpower at the moment. But a deep, boiling hatred that she had only felt once before came bubbling up to the surface, and for a moment she was able to ignore the poison pumping through her veins. Drawing her head up with as much dignity as she could muster, she meet the other dragon's stare, her crimson eyes blazing bright with every ounce of hate and malice she could muster.

Xavier didn't so much as flinch, even as the ape captains slowed at the sight of her resistance. Forcing her mouth into motion, Kayla uttered the two words on the tip of her tongue, the only two words that held any further meaning to her at that exact moment. "Y-You... trait-"

She never finished the sentence. The darkness building on the edge of her vision suddenly swelled and swept her away with it. The dragoness keeled over, the rain mixing with her blood as she collapsed on the wooden platform, a final roll of thunder signaling her defeat.


	3. The Traitorous Heart

**Chapter 3 – The Traitorous Heart**

No sooner had the dragoness' head hit the soaked wooden planks then Rakk let out a bellowing laugh, competing with the roar of thunder that echoed through the glade. The rest of the ape troop relaxed, many of them lowering their weapons and a few even letting out a few chuckles of their own. The two ape captains cautiously approached the prone figure and gently prodded her with the flats of their respective weapons, making sure that she was well and truly down for the count. Xavier stood stock-still as well, conscious of the blood and venom that ran down the length of his outstretched forepaw to mingle with the rain before dripping down the floor. His gaze remained fixed on the dragoness, his mind racing beneath the stoic outward front.

The way she had looked at him... There was such unbelievable hatred in that gaze. A tidal wave of pain and anger that would have swept him away had it not been for the poison he had introduced into her veins but a few moments prior. It had been so long since he had seen and spoken to another of his kind, and to see the fervent hate the dragoness held against him when she found out the truth... He couldn't possibly be that much of a monster to her, could he?

The laughter slowly died out as Rakk's eyes drifted back to the unconscious dragoness. "My my, she certainly did give us a quite a stir, didn't she? She made everyone here look as though they've never even seen a dragon before, especially if you couldn't tell something as elementary as her gender." A quiet murmur rushed through the assembled crowd, many of the apes present lowering their heads to avoid the War Chief's accusatory stare. Not that there was anything to fear, there was nothing more than a light reprimand in Rakk's tone.

"Still," the Warlord mused, stroking his chin in thought as the apes stood at attention again before him. "I'd go so far as to say that it was all worth it just to see that look of pure betrayal on her face when she realized just what you are, Voxus."

Xavier flinched, finally looking up from Kayla to see that the War Chief was now looking at him, dark eyes glittering with amusement. Voxus, Xavier's personal dog whistle to the apes. A reminder of all that he was to them. The two captains before him also turned, and Xavier felt the attention of every ape behind him fall upon him like a set of lead weights. Realizing that his bloodied forepaw was still stupidly extended, he slowly lowered the appendage, taking a brief moment to flick off the last drops of blood and his conjured poison. "I don't think the possibility even crossed her mind. Sir." Xavier spoke, his voice flat and curt.

Rakk nodded in solemn agreement. "I concur. One typically expects dragons to be proud and strong, not sniveling at the feet of the so called _lesser species_ like yourself." This drew another round of derisive laughter from the assembled apes, even as Xavier found himself drawn back to the lonely body of the other dragon. While Captain Maim Wind silently nodded in agreement, the other captain, an ape by the name of Karameko, remained impassive with his attention glued to Kayla and his thin two-handed sword at the ready.

As the only sound again became the _pitter-patter_ of the rain, Xavier forced himself to stand up a little straighter, his teal blue eyes drifting over the three commanding officers before him. Remembering how Kayla had stood in defiance of the Viper's Fang Chieftain, Xavier forced the ever present fear within him away for just long enough to meet Rakk's eyes and speak aloud. "Regardless of my status with the clan, I have dealt with the threat. Even as we speak, my poison is lessening her grip on this world. In the next few minutes, her heart will slow and her breathing will cease. Problem solved."

Out the corner of his eye, Xavier noticed a number of apes either obediently nodding in approval or even splitting off to wander back to shelter from the storm. Not that there was any among them who would openly doubt his proclamation. After all, it wasn't like any of them could purposely summon cups of life-draining essence from their claws or mouth like he could, so Xavier's authority on these matters typically went unchallenged. In total, there was only about six apes in the camp that might call him into question.

As luck would have it, not one but three of those six stood before him, and it looked like his news wasn't going over well with at least two of them. Maim Wind bared his teeth into what looked like a snarl, the ape's grip tightening slightly on his axes. On the other hand, Rakk's good mood all but evaporated as he strode forward to tower over Xavier. "Just what exactly did you just say, Voxus? I hope I didn't mishear you over all the rain and thunder."

Xavier gulped, a tremor wracking his hind legs as he forced himself to stay standing even as his tail dragged across the wood in staccato bursts. Rakk shouldn't have any real reason to be mad at him, he had done exactly as he thought the ape had silently asked of him. Xavier did have his uses, but the War Chief had made his opinion on the rest of his species exceedingly clear every chance he got, so surly he'd like to see the shadow dragoness dead, right? Feeling the last of his bravery wither and die, Xavier finally found his voice again. "I-I- I said that my p-poison would finish her off shortly and - _grk_ "

Rakk's left hand swooped down to close around the young dragon's neck, cutting off his windpipe and slamming him against the truck on the tree in one fluid motion. Pain exploded across Xavier's body, from the bony edges of his wing suddenly digging into his back to the unexpected forward jerk of his head as his horns hit the wood first, forcing his chin to bang against the ape's armored wrist. Rakk continued to hold the dragon's head at the odd angle even as Xavier's claws scratched against the iron tight grip and his tail dragged on the floor to and fro beneath him. "And just why would you do something like that!" Rakk roared, spit flying into the dragon's face.

"I had everything PERFECT! Everything was just fine! If I wanted the dragoness dead, don't you think I would have done it myself? Or I would have had Maim Wind do it! Or the archers! Or anyone else BUT YOU. ANYONE!"

Xavier's lungs were beginning to burn, his pulse hammering in his ears as Rakk tightened his hold a little more. Xavier felt himself lift back away from the tree only to slammed against the trunk a second time with even greater force. This time, Xavier's horns pointed back towards the rest of his body and the dragon felt the cold wood press against the top of his head as he stared straight up towards the canopy. Stars exploded across Xavier's vision as the impacts began to take their toll. The dragon's mouth continued to open and his chest heaved, but no air could get in past the Warlord's hand. Blinking away the rivulets of rain now dripping directly into his eyes from the recently scarred wood, only one thought ran though Xavier's mind, a nonstop mantra of fear and anxiety. Had this been the time where he had finally gone too far? The point where Rakk's generosity had finally been worn out?

Xavier's struggling lasted another five agonizing seconds before he finally felt the ape's paw lessen its grip, allowing him a shallow gulp of the cold night air. As Xavier struggled to inhale as much oxygen as possible, he felt a breath of warmth across the left side of his face. "Listen to me, Voxus. You are worthless. Absolutely worthless. Worthless to whatever parents you had, worthless to your little friend over there, worthless to the entirety of your pathetic race, and _almost_ worthless to us. If it wasn't for those drops of liquid death running through your veins, I would have killed you long ago. Painfully. Make no mistake, you are scum, even compared to the insects on the bottom of my boot. And if I ever think that you've forgotten that for one second..."

Xavier squeezed his eyes shut as the ragged breathing of the ape reached a crescendo, the ape's muzzle just an inch away from his ear. "...then I may just be tempted to take a second souvenir from you."

"Hey Chief." The presence all but vanished and Rakk's grip loosened a little more. Taking in shaky breath after shaky breath, Xavier carefully wiggled his head until he was able to look down at what had grabbed Rakk's attention. Karameko was kneeling down by the dragoness, his sword carefully laid down next to her as the ape pressed the side of his head to the dragoness' chest. As Xavier watched, Karameko raised his head back up to regale the War Chief with his usual aloof expression. "She's still breathing. Soft, but it's there."

Silence, broken only by another roll of thunder from above, pervaded over the commanders and the few apes still brave enough to stick around after Rakk's outburst. Finally, Rakk slowly swiveled his head around to the poison dragon still pinned by his impressive grasp.

Xavier had been in the clan long enough to recognize a lifeline when it was thrown to him. "A-A-A.. An antidote." He choked out, claws still uselessly tugging that the well-armored hand that held him. "There's still time... I can still s-save her."

Rakk seemed to consider him for a long second before releasing the dragon, who collapsed to the ground with startled gasp. "Do it. Now." The War Chief commanded, stepping aside to allow Xavier an unobstructed path forward to the dragoness. His head still spinning from the ordeal, Xavier slowly untangled himself from the heap he landed in. Rising to his feet on shaking legs, Xavier took a moment to caress his injured throat with a forepaw. Wincing as he felt the rapidly developing bruises, Xavier also noted a thick drop of something too viscous to be rain running down his right shoulder. Another small cut, likely caused by the bony ridge of his wing digging into his back. Just a few more injuries to add to the already lengthy list.

Remembering the apes currently towering over him, Xavier quickly stopped his self assessment and limped over to where the dragoness had fallen. When Kayla had fallen, he reminded himself. Her name was Kayla, even if she would probably despise him for using such a personal title. But none of that mattered right now anyways, not when he had an "antidote" to make.

The truth was, the dragoness was in absolutely no danger of dying, at least from him or his self-made poisons. In hindsight, it had been a very poorly thought out plan. Deliberately inject Kayla with sedative, declare her dead, and hope that Rakk just threw the body out into the woods. Then, she would wake up a few hours later, ponder her miraculous survival at the claws of a traitorous dragon, and then fly far, far away from here. Assuming that the apes wouldn't have slit her throat for good measure. Assuming that Rakk wouldn't have ordered the cadaver burned. Assuming that she wasn't turned into feed for the ever-ravenous death hounds. Assuming that a million other factors he had left to chance worked out just fine.

Her plan had been simple, but it might have worked. For the briefest of moments, Xavier thought he might of even convinced himself it would have worked. All it would have taken was some luck with charging the final guardhouse, and they both would have been free. The storm would have severely hampered the ape's efforts to track and find them, as not even the death hounds would be able to catch their scent in the storm. They could have figured out new strategies as they went along, evading ape patrols until they finally left Blood Hollow in the dust. It might have worked. It might.

Then Rakk had dropped in. The second Xavier saw the ape war chief, any hope of liberation drained out of his body. There was no escaping Rakk, the ape always thought of everything. Every angle, ever possible counteraction, all well accounted for. The ape was certainly no slacker when it came to intellectual pursuits, and was the one member of the clan that could back up his claims of superiority with both brains and brawn. The fact that Rakk had even allowed himself to be seen already meant he had them cornered. It was something that Xavier had understood immediately, while Kayla seemed to desperately cling to whatever shreds of hope she had left.

Hence, he had done the only other course of action he could think of. The only choice that he saw still held a glimmer of hope for the dragoness' escape. And now, it appeared that it had backfired as well. How was he supposed to know that Rakk would want a second dragon prisoner slaving away at his bidding? On top of that, she was a shadow dragon, weren't they almost impossible to keep in captivity? Well, maybe not impossible, Xavier did have a few theories himself from what little he knew of a shadow dragon's abilities. Not that he was keen on sharing those thoughts with the Viper's Fang clan anytime soon.

But it looked like she was going to be stuck here now. At least for a while. Xavier did have to admit, it seemed as though the dragoness still had plenty of fight left in her. Maybe she would figure a new way out once she woke up. But he doubted it, and even if she did, he knew that her plans would almost certainly not involve him.

Still lost in thought, Xavier ran one of his paws along the dragoness' supple face, carefully moving so that his claws wouldn't cause any more damage than he already had. He felt the sleeping dragoness shiver under him, the cold from laying outside in a large puddle chilling her down to the bone. Xavier let his gaze drift over towards her right flank, where three shallow cuts were still visible in the flickering torchlight. Xavier closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. For now, he had some work to do.

Turning back to the apes, Xavier allowed his shoulders to relax a modicum of an inch. This was fine, he was in his element now. He could still do some good that night. "Alright, I'll need some-" Xavier's speech halted before he could really get started, a series of violent coughs suddenly tearing forth from his damaged throat. Each new convulsion set waves of white hot pain through his bruised scales, and Xavier's knees quickly buckled under the strain. His breathing now ragged and sporadic, Xavier felt the fit slowly subside into nothing more than a dull throbbing along his throat. Looking up to see the apes still patiently waiting for him to recover, Xavier awkwardly cleared his throat before resuming in a much quieter whisper. "Supplies. I need my basic medical bag, with the red circle on it."

"One of you lackeys go get Voxus' bag. With the red sun on it." Rakk repeated in a much louder voice, gesturing towards the dozen or so soldiers still awkwardly loitering around. There was silence for a moment before two apes near the back broke off, sprinting as fast as they dared along the walkways until the lantern they bore was lost to sight.

Having already tuned out both the apes and storm, Xavier set about giving Kayla a thorough examination. Like he had guessed earlier, she was almost exactly his age, another one of the few survivors from the Year of the Dragon generation. She must of fared better than most, as far as Xavier could tell she was growing up healthy and strong, if a little on the malnourished side. The only remnant of past hardship was a paper thin line along the right side of her neck, the final trace of an injury that must have nearly cost her life when she received it.

Deciding not to dwell on past wounds, Xavier moved on to her more recent injuries, of which there were a lot more. The most serious of which was the cuts he himself had inflicted upon her. They would need some care, but odds are they would be mostly healed in a week with no great danger of scarring or hampering her movement in the future. He also noted a small jagged cut along her left cheek, most likely created by one of the ape's weapons during her escape attempt. But it was shallow, so Xavier concluded that the biggest blow would likely be to Kayla's vanity. The only other obvious wound that came to light in his search was a small hole in her right rear leg, just above the paw. Again, it relatively minor, having just broken through the scales in a rough one inch diameter circle. The blood had already congealed here, although the water and wear of the evening had already resulted in the scab breaking at least once. So this must have been what became of the booby trap Xavier had been order to prepare a few days ago. But there wasn't anything else he could do now apart from cleaning and sterilizing the resulting wound.

Gently resting the dragoness' hind legs back down on the terrace, Xavier finally turned his full attention to the claw marks on Kayla's right flank. In the dim light of the lanterns and torches around him, Xavier could see sheets of ruby blood running down the pitch black scales to form a small pool on the wooden slats. Clearing his throat and wincing at the new wave of pain it created, Xavier held out an empty forepaw away from himself, his eyes never leaving Kayla. "Water, I need some water."

Only silence met Xavier's request, and the poison dragon could hear the ape captains behind him shift uneasily, likely exchanging glances with each other as more rain pelted down from above. Incredibly, it took another few dozen drops running down Xavier's face before he realized his error. "A container, I need a container. Something I can pour from, not this blasted rain."

A grunt of understanding reached his ears and Xavier heard the distinct sounds of plate armor shifting off to his right. Tearing his gaze away from Kayla, Xavier noticed Karameko had pulled his own canteen from his belt and offered it to the dragon. Having only expected an upturned helmet or armor plate of rainwater, Xavier was momentarily stunned by the ape's generosity before he remembered the looming figure of the silent Rakk just behind the two captains. Nothing but the best for the War Chief's next pet project. Taking the surprising heavy metal canteen, Xavier quickly unscrewed the top and poured it across the claw marks. Below him, Kayla briefly stirred, a flicker of discomfort passing over her face before she eased back into her chemically induced slumber. Moving slowly and methodically, Xavier gave the cuts a proper cleaning, rinsing out both the blood and the final remnants of his sedative.

Another commotion from behind him drew Xavier's attention, and he turned in time to see the two soldiers from before had returned, a worn leather satchel clutched in one of their paws. Pushing their way to the front of the crowd, the apes skidded to a stop before Rakk. Hastily bowing before their leader, the ape with the satchel all but threw the bag at Xavier, the soaked leather bouncing off his snout with the dim tickling of glass coming from within. Shaking off the blow, Xavier quickly flipped the bag over to reveal a crude red circle stitched just below the metal latch. Xavier knew all of his gear and supplies like the back of his paw, the circle's only real purpose was to ease communication between him and the apes. For some ancestor-forsaken reason, he could never get anyone else to agree on the same name for each of the bags, with himself using the geometric shapes while the apes stubbornly referred to the identification by the closest approximation to nature. It still led to some minor communication issues here or there, but Xavier still had a higher chance of being brought what he wanted with this system than the "three pound, single clasp shoulder bag" predecessor.

Grimacing as he noticed how saturated the leather had already become, Xavier flipped the clasp open and peered inside, tilting the bag to best let in the meager light. Everything appeared in order, all the smokey glass vials and bottles glittering in the light, the liquids contained within lazily sloshing around. The only thing that gave him pause was the roll of fabric he kept in here for bandaging. They were already sopping wet, and likely would take the better part of tomorrow to fully dry. It was clear that they would be of no use to him tonight. Damn it, why couldn't one of those dirty apes even think to the shield the bag with their own body to avoid problems like this? If it had been one of his other bags, such as the blue crescent or green cross, such treatment could have cost him weeks of work.

Selecting some of the smaller vials from within, Xavier again turned to address his waiting audience. "I need fresh linens, dry as you can manage. Cover too, I can't have the rain mixing with this stuff too much."

Rakk snapped his fingers, and several more apes broke off from the pack to wander back through the nearby huts for the requested materials. After a moment of harsh deliberation, a trio of soldiers stepped forward, their leader quickly disrobing the hooded cloak he wore. Skirting around Rakk and the captains, the three apes quickly formed a basic triangle around the dragons, tossing the ends of the cloak over them and pulling it taut. Xavier flicked the last few drops from his face, the rain now nothing more than a rhythmic drumming above his head. For the briefest of seconds, he allowed himself the smallest of smiles to see the apes unquestioningly doing his bidding. But he was again reminded of Rakk's imposing presence as the War Chief crouched down to continue watching Xavier with an unblinking stare. Of course, it was only really Rakk's bidding that they were following, nothing more.

Retrieving a wooden bowl from the depths of the satchel, Xavier set the bag down and surveyed the materials he had pulled from it. There was one rather sizable bottle full of a clear liquid, two resin-coated pouches, and several smaller vials of varying size and color. Putting the wooden bowl before him, Xavier took a steadying breath, well aware of the number of ape eyeballs on his back. It was showtime.

For all his alchemical knowledge, Xavier knew his position in the clan was always a precarious one. Before his capture, the apes had been producing their own debilitating droughts of death for generations, and would resume to do so when he outlived his usefulness. With his life on the line every waking hour, Xavier survived by firmly sticking to two basic tenets. Do as you're told without question, and the process was always much more important than the end product. If it looked as though he could do things that no ape could hope to repeat, no one would question why Rakk kept him alive. As long as he remained _Voxus, the ape's chief alchemist_ , he would live to see another dawn.

With the second belief at the forefront of his thoughts, Xavier set about creating the "antidote". Tugging open one of the pouches, he produced a wrinkled and brittle nut. Holding it firmly in one paw, Xavier pierced the shell with a single claw and tipped the contents down into the bowl before him. Two pea sized black orbs dropped into the bowl with a light clatter, even as Xavier uncorked one of the smaller vials holding a sluggish black tar. Watching the material slowly crawl its way out of the vial, Xavier sliced off a dollop into the bowl as well before resealing the bottle. Now came the real magic, quite literally as it turned out.

Suspending his forepaw over the bowl, Xavier folded all but one of his fingers, the last remaining claw hovering over the edge of the bowl. Shutting his eyes, Xavier felt the power deep in his chest stir, his arm getting noticeably heavier as energy flowed through it. The power manifested itself in a sickly green liquid that slowly ran down his outstretched claw until it dangled at the tip like a cocoon ready to pop. Xavier lightly tapped the back of his claw against the inside of the bowl, causing the poison to drop down within, where it sizzled upon contact with the other ingredients. Xavier repeated the process several times until the nuts were completely submerged, their uniform black orbs already splitting up into infinitesimally small pieces.

While the potion continued to fizzle and pop, Xavier selected another one of the vials to prepare, carefully dripping the contents into the bowl until the vibrant green began to fade into a murky black. Pausing to allow the bubbling to finally subside, Xavier again reached for the half empty canteen that sat beside him. With a practiced hand, he added water to the mix until the bowl sat mostly full. Still eying the contents in the dull light of a lantern hanging around the belt of one of the apes covering him, Xavier reached back towards the set of vials he had set aside.

He picked one up, only to hesitate as his paw wrapped around it, claws clinking against the glass. Taking his eyes off the bowl, Xavier carefully reconsidered his choice before setting the vial back down. He hovering indecisively over the supplies for several seconds before picking the vial with the black sludge back up again. Behind him, Xavier could almost sense Rakk leaning forward a little bit, having noticed the dragon's near mistake. But it was all part of the show.

The real trick was to act perfect, but not be perfect. If it looked as though Xavier held all the cards, some of the sharper apes might pick up on the fact that he was deceiving them in some way. At the same time, his reputation as the _great Voxus_ needed to be protected so that no one would accuse him of complete incompetence. It was a balancing act that Xavier had only perfected after the past two years of nonstop practice. All it took was one innocuous "mistake" here or there and even Rakk would be convinced of his sincerity.

Finally content with the ratios of his ingredients, Xavier set about stirring with one of his claws. Pulling his digit back out of the mixture, Xavier carefully inserted the talon into his mouth. Wincing as the bitter taste washed over his tongue. Xavier allowed himself a self congratulatory nod. Having chosen ingredients that almost perfectly canceled each other out, the final product was nothing more than a foul-tasting but ultimately harmless concoction. Not that he would be in the slightest danger even if it was pure poison, his element granted him an immunity to all things noxious. It was actually the basis of an old insult he had hurled at him non stop throughout his childhood. It went that you could feed a poison dragon a bar a chocolate and a bar of manure and he would come back asking for more of both. Again, his youthful bullies completely ignoring the fact that his taste buds were quite unaffected by his powers, no matter how many times he pointed that out. Hard to imagine that those words once represented the pinnacle of pain capable of being inflicted on him by others.

Turning around, Xavier opened his mouth to inquire about the requested linens when he noticed them sitting in a neat pile besides him. Silently complementing the ape's dedication to not disturbing his concentration, Xavier cut a length from the fabric and dipped it into the supposed antidote. Bending over, the alchemist carefully draped the rag over the still bleeding wounds in Kayla's side and held it in place. After a minute of silent waiting, the emerald dragon quickly moved over to Kayla's head and checked her pulse and breathing. Ever the method actor, Xavier allowed himself a massive sigh of relief as he finally turned back to the expectant Rakk. "It's done. The poison should be clearing out now, although she'll still stay asleep for the next six or seven hours."

That was all the War Chief needed to hear. Rising back up from his crouch, he immediately garnered the attention of the assembled apes. "Very well then. Captain Karameko, go and ensure the dragoness' housings are still prepared. Captain Maim, have some of your men ready to move her once Voxus gives you the go ahead." The apes each grunted and set about their respective order without complaint.

Xavier felt the cold splatter of rain on his back again as the apes forming the canopy started to slowly fold the cloak as to make a hasty exit. "You three stay put." Xavier snapped, surprising the apes with his sudden ferocity. Rakk's words from a few minutes ago quickly came drifting back into his mind, and Xavier quickly compensated by immediately dipping his head and allowing the quaver to creep back into his voice. "I-I mean, I just need need a few more minutes to properly dress the wounds, that's all."

After getting a reluctant confirmation from Captain Maim, the apes resumed their places, the cloak-less ape shivering violently as he did so. The rest of the entourage was already breaking up, with Rakk storming off into the downpour, a thoughtful hand stroking his chin. With Karameko already gone as well, soon it was only Captain Maim Wind and a small detachment of his command standing in a silent circle around the makeshift tent.

Well aware of the impatient tapping of Maim's foot, Xavier made quick work of an actual application for his craft. Taking the large bottle from the satchel, the dragon wrinkled his nose as the repugnant stench of pure alcohol drifted out of the uncorked bottleneck. After giving the wounds a proper cleaning this time, Xavier quickly moved on to the second resin pouch he had set out. Sprinkling the powder within on the dragoness' wounds, he nodded in satisfaction as the thin trickles of blood quickly began to clump up and stop the bleeding. Taking the remaining linens, he rapidly cut them into long strips which he wound around Kayla's waist and injured hind leg. Less than two minutes later, the wounds were taken care of to the best of his limited capacity. What he wouldn't have given for some of the magical red crystals dragons could use to heal their wounds, but Rakk had explicitly forbidden them from the camp for obvious reasons.

"Keep those bandages dry if you can." Xavier instructed the surrounding apes. "It would be ironic if those wounds got infected after all of this." He noted as he began packing up his supplies.

"Ironic for you, you mean." Maim Wind grunted. Pointing at the three canopy apes, he motioned for them to cover the dragoness with the dry side of the cloak while the rest of his men gathered close around the prone form. Sheathing his axes once more, the ape captain spared a glance down to the dragon now tossing the extra linens in with the rest of his supplies. "And a word of advice, Vox. Don't think that having her here changes anything, so we better not have a repeat of tonight. Understand?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Xavier replied bluntly, snapping the latch on his bag shut with a sense of finality. The ape captain continued to eye the young dragon suspiciously for a few more seconds before shrugging. His men hoisted the swaddled dragoness aloft and began trudging back off into the rain, leaving Xavier all alone on the desolate platform.

Slinging the bag over his head, Xavier rose to depart as well. He paused, his head swiveling back to the still brightly lit guardhouse. He could still see apes moving about in the shadows, but they now seemed weary and inattentive now that the alarm had been stood down. No one else was here, if he moved quickly and stuck to the shadows, he could probably make it most of the way across before being spotted. He had a fair understanding of the terrain outside the Hollow, and even had an idea or two of how to trick his pursuers. As long as he took as much advantage of storm as possible, he could make it pretty far, maybe even far enough where Rakk would give up looking for him. It just might work. It might.

But then, almost as soon as it came, the feelings of optimism were blasted away by the next fork of lighting. Rakk would never let him go. Even if it meant uprooting the whole clan from their ancestral home, he would follow Xavier to the ends of the world before he let the young dragon get the best of him. If he couldn't do it three years ago, what hope could he possibly have now?

Xavier continued to stand there in the rain for several more minutes before he finally gave himself a shake and turned back around. There may be a chance for Kayla, but his was long past. He might as well make the most of his fragile life here, rather than face certain death out in the wilds. With that finally gloomy thought parading through his mind, Xavier began the long trek back to his cell as the storm continued to rage around him.

Had the lone dragon, or any of the other apes for that matter, been able to see over the tops of the trees, they might have glimpsed a truly awesome sight. The entire western horizon aglow with pillars of towering flames, the unexpected updrafts throwing nearby weather patterns to shambles. And at the head of the fire, a gargantuan titan striding across the land and leaving ruin in its wake. An ancient creature whose only purpose was to bring about the end of days. A few minutes later and the figure was already vanishing from sight, even while the flames remained. The Belt of Fire burned on, as the climax of another war rapidly rushed towards its zenith.


	4. Proper Introductions

**Chapter 4 – Proper Introductions**

Kayla awoke with a start, her head snapping up so fast that she almost pulled a muscle in her neck. Squinting through the sudden brightness that encompassed her vision, the shadow dragoness surged to her feet, fighting through the murky pull of the drugged dreamland that was desperately dragging her back down. Stumbling forward on uneven feet, Kayla directed herself toward the brightest source of the blinding rays. She knew that if she could just make it into the light, she would be free of this place. Free of the tree houses, free of the murderous apes, free of the dragon staring at her with expressionless eyes as her blood rolled down his foreleg. Just a little bit further now...

With a sudden clink of metal shifting together, Kayla felt her head flail back as something pulled at her neck. Straining against the restrictive force, Kayla continued to push herself forward, rising up on her hind legs to gain a few more precious inches. The dragoness teetered uneasily as the unusual balancing act required the full concentration of her lethargic mind to maintain. As the upper half of Kayla's body leaned backwards, the dragoness instinctively tried to flare her wings to act as a counterbalance. But no matter how hard she strained, the two appendages stayed plastered against her back, likewise restrained by an unseen force. With a final cry of desperation, Kayla tumbled backwards, landing in an ungainly heap back where she had started.

Nursing her now aching head, Kayla squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to concentrate. She could hear voices nearby, the words muffled and blended together into a dull drone. Blocking out the sounds as best she could, Kayla allowed her mind's eye to drift inward. Memories of the previous night came drifting back to her, each new addition darker and hazier than the last. She had been...in a tree village, unlike anything she had seen before. It had been storming, the rain beating down in continuous sheets as thunder ripped the sky asunder. There had been apes, actual living apes chasing after her, the lighting glittering across their crossbows. And there had been someone else. About her size, with emerald green scales and wickedly long talons...

A new feeling of unbridled anger swept over her as Kayla finally recalled the exact circumstances of her recapture. That treacherous little snake, he was in league with the damned primates! Of course he was, he was probably reclining on a cushion laughing it up with the rest of the apes over her naive trust in him. He must of taken one look around their messed up world and decided to throw his lot in with what he thought was the winning side. It was probably the only way a scrawny wimp like him could still go to sleep at night, convincing himself that he was so much more cunning, so much more powerful than those countless innocents these apes had crushed. And Kayla had thought no one else would ever possibly compare to _that_ dragoness in terms of repulsiveness _._

It made her sick. Actually sick, as the dragoness felt her stomach twist as she heaved up bile and the meager remains of whatever her last meal had been. As her throat burned and her nostrils wrinkled against the smell, Kayla drew herself up into a sitting position as she wiped her mouth with the back of her paw. Another little gift courtesy of the sniveling turncoat. Kayla allowed herself a dark chuckle at the thoughts of what she would do to _dear Xavier_ next time she got her paws on him...

But that would have to wait. It was apparent that wherever the poison dragon had gone off to, it wasn't here. If she was going to have any hope of encountering him again, as well as escaping confinement, she needed to take stock of her current predicament. She had snuck into and out of more heavily guarded places than the ape's tree village, so surely it would be a simple matter to find a way out. She just need to calm down, prioritize, and let her expertise take over. First, she was getting out of the restraints around her neck and wings. Then, she was going to find the venomous rat that had put her here and rip out each of his scales, one by one. And after that, she would escape. Should be a walk in the park.

Wearily blinking her eyes as they slowly adjusted to the ambient light, Kayla felt along her neck to confirm what she already knew. A rusty iron clamp was firmly latched around her slender throat, the metalwork uneven and jagged. She quickly located both the heavy lock resting against her collar bone and the blocky chain that attached her an anchor point nearby. She would have to scavenge around for something that she could turn into a lock pick, as brute force wasn't going to be an option. Then again, maybe the anchor point wasn't too structurally sound, odds are that the apes wouldn't have much options besides the wood in one of their tree houses. Moving her paw downward, Kayla felt a contraption of stiff leather and thin iron bars secured around her midriff. Angling her head to get a better look at it, Kayla noted that it was a harness securely pinned her wings against her back, preventing them from spreading or even wiggling around too much. To her immense disappointment, the leather in the device seemed to be thrown in purely to make sure the metal didn't rub her scales down to the bone and had little to do with the actual structural integrety. Unfortunately, the ape that had constructed the wing brace must have had an unprecedented stroke of genius and placed the locking mechanism right in between her wings. The only limb she could angle to interact with that was her tail, the one appendage without any finger. But at the same time, maybe she could still work with that...

Kayla's brainstorming was interrupted by the rough scrapping of metal against wood. She whipped around and lowered herself into a defensive stance as what she now recognized as thin metal bars of the cell door was pulled outward to admit a single figure.

Unsurprisingly, it was an ape. A tad bit smaller than the ones Kayla had seen thus far, with the top of the dragoness' head just coming up to the simian's chin. The visible fur of the ape was gray and wiry, and the face itself seemed much more weathered and wrinkled from decades of drudgery. Two eyes stared unflinchingly at the young dragoness, the leftmost of which was a pale milky white. The ape also wore only a simple tunic and apron, the fabric thin and torn, and the pockets of which were crammed with various knick knacks that made determining what the ape's exact job nigh impossible. However, with the minor exception of a stout knife poking out of the ape's breast pocket, they was completely unarmed. And perhaps most importantly, Kayla made sure to note a small ring of keys securely hooked at the ape's belt.

In lieu of weapons, the primate bore only a small bucket full to the brim with water with a dirty rag lazily draped over the rim. Eying the ape uneasily, Kayla's gaze briefly darted downward, noting the fresh scratches in the wood that marked the extent of the chain's range of motion. If the ape continued just a few steps closer, they would be in ambush range, and all Kayla would have to do was snag the keys to her freedom.

But another wave of disappointment was all that Kayla got as the ape stopped just short of the dragoness' reach. With a meaningful glance down to the scratches as well, the ape unceremoniously dropped the bucket on the other side of the invisible line dividing the cell. Water sloshed over the sides as the ape pointed to the small puddle of vomit created a minute earlier. "I'm not cleaning that up Black Wing, so start scrubbing unless you want this whole tree to stink of your refuse." Kayla blinked in surprise as the ape spoke, the voice being gruff, but still coming out a good octave higher than she had expected. Then again, the shorter and more muted color on the nose did strike her as more feminine traits now that she thought about it. Still, having a female jailer who wasn't trained in combat would only increase her chances of liberation once she got out.

Kayla was so swept up in her frantic planning that it took her a few additional seconds to process what the ape had said to her. "What did you just call me!?" Kayla growled, bounding forward until the chain went taut once more. "And I am not cleaning that up, I've already got ten separate ways I can get out of here. When I do, I'm going to take that wrinkled old face of yours and grind it right into that mess. Hey, did you hear that you dirty ape? Are you even listening to me?!"

Despite the most virulent insults and threats gushing forth from Kayla's mouth, they all bounced harmlessly off the ape's stalwart resolve. Turing back with a sigh, the ape slowly trudged back to the cell door, swinging it back behind her with a hollow clang. Not even sparing a glance back to the raging shadow dragoness, the ape slowly lowered herself back into the simple chair sitting next to a table just beyond the cell doors. Pensively crossing her legs, the ape picked up a half finished wooden carving and resumed shaving tiny slivers off with her knife.

To Kayla's credit, she spent the next solid minute attempting to entice her jailer to reenter the cell. Throwing together all the combinations of swears and demeaning insults she could think off, she still failed to provoke any other type of response from the ape. Finally cutting off her diatribe with a huff, Kayla sat down at the edge of her chain once again, just now noticing the twinge of pain up her right flank that accompanied the action. To her mild surprise, she found bandages wrapped around where that waste of oxygen had raked her with his claws. Great, it looked like the apes were planning to keep her alive for the time being, she could barely contain her excitement.

Deciding to leave the bandages be, as whoever had done them was halfway decent at patching her up, Kayla resumed pondering her current situation. Noticing the still full bucket of water beside her, Kayla dipped her snout beneath the cool surface, greedily sucking up mouthfuls of the refreshing liquid as quickly as possible. The uncooperative nature of the jailer was just a minor hitch in the plan she reflected, these apes still had no idea just who they were messing with.

The distant splash of feet treading through puddles and the slight darkening of the jail was the only warning Kayla got as more figures appeared in the doorway. Some more apes come to see the new circus attraction she guessed. Let them look, she wouldn't give them much of a show. If her jailer was any indication, these apes weren't likely to be intimidated or provoked by a dragoness in chains, so an impassive demeanor would probably suit her better. Despite having drunk her fill, Kayla kept her mouth down in the bucket, idly blowing bubbles as she listened to the newcomers approach. She was determined not to even give the apes the satisfaction of eye contact, and would have maintained that mantra had a sickeningly familiar voice sudden piped up in far too jovial of tone. "Morning Mourn. I see you got your old job of dragon watching back, eh?"

Kayla yanked her head back out of the bucket, splashing water everywhere even as her jailer, Mourn evidently, quickly rose to her feet to bar the way of the intruders. A total of three individuals had entered the cramped wooden hut, two of which were simple foot-apes that waited by the doorway to watch the goings on. But the third one, who had just come to a halt in front of Mourn, was _him_. The slimy little snake himself, his attention fully focused on the ape in front of him for the time being. A quick glance up and down the dragon's emerald scales confirmed everything Kayla needed to know. He wore no chains, no wing brace was secured around his stomach. The only foreign garment he bore was a simple leather bag adorned with a red circle that he wore around his neck. There were absolutely no restraints on him, and the lax nature of the door guards only seemed to confirm that there was no risk of an escape attempt. He was helping them purely out of free will, every bit the backstabber she took him for.

Mourn crossed her arms, glaring down at the other dragon with her good eye. "Vox. What a completely unexpected surprise. Yes, I was stuck back in here after this one gave my replacement a nasty bump on the head last night. Now, just why did you drag your scaly hide all the way up here? Not to say hello to me, I should think."

"That's a rather accusatory tone you're taking there." The dullard of a dragon replied succinctly as he guided the strap of the bag up and over his zigzagging horns. His eyes briefly shifted back to Kayla, who met his stare unflinchingly. With an odd half-nod in her direction, the renegade glanced back up to meet Mourn's flat gaze. "I'd almost say you're insinuating that I plan to spring our little prisoner here."

"Don't act so casual hatchling, it's not like you." Mourn countered with a snort. "I was told to watch for suspicious behavior. Especially from you."

Slinging the bag up onto the table, the morally-bankrupt maggot popped the latch and proceeded to rummage inside. "Were you now? I'm flattered. But if you must know, I'm currently acting under direct orders from Rakk, so feel free to take up any issues about my behavior with him."

For the first time, Kayla noticed Mourn falter, the invocation of the ape's War Chief evidently knocking her steadfastness down a peg. But it only lasted a moment before the ape took a step closer to the turncoat, who was currently arranging the glass bottles he pulled from within the satchel into neat rows. "And what orders would those be, Voxus?"

"Health check up." The pond-scum colored dragon calmly replied, swirling the contents of a bottle around before setting it down as well. "Unregulated doses of my sedative can come with some rather unpleasant side effects, one of which I believe I can already smell," the dragon explained with a sniff. "And regardless, who better to evaluate the severity of her other injuries than another dragon?"

Mourn seemed to ponder his words for a few moments, with the door guards only giving a noncommittal shrug under her questioning look. Finally, the ape let out another tired sigh and ambled back to her chair. "Well, I can tell you that she's alive, she's awake, and she has quite the colorful vocabulary. I'm certainty not getting within claw's reach of her either. What else is there to check up on?"

Leaving the question unanswered, the traitor finally turned around to give her his full attention. Kayla took several steps back, allowing her chain to go slack once more, her eyes never leaving him. The other dragon briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath before moving forward to undo the latch on the cell door. Leaving it open behind him, he entered the cell and stopped several paces away from her, rocking back and forth on his paws nervously. Kayla kept her focus on him, relaxing her body into what she hoped was a casual stance. She was only going to be able to do this once, so she would have to make the most of it.

"So..." The villain started after a minute of pregnant silence. "Are you feeling... well?" The poison dragon grimaced at the blandness of his own question, gently rubbing the back of his neck as Kayla gritted her teeth and growled. "Obviously not, I'm guessing, all things considered. That was a stupid question, sorry."

After another few seconds of silence, the defector decided to try again. "What I meant to say is, are you feeling sick? Physically sick, headaches, dry throat, that sort of thing. An upset stomach is pretty obvious, but anything else beyond that?" Now that he mentioned it, there was a dull throb in the back of Kayla's head. Although if it was a side effect of her drugging or just the manifestation of the boiling anger she was currently keeping bottled up remained to be seen.

"Look, I'm here to help, okay?" The dragon tried to appeal to her once more. "I brought some medical supplies, so if you just tell me what symptoms you're experiencing, I can whip up something to make it more bearable. But I-I not a telepath here, I have no idea what you're thinking right now." Oh, she was sure he had some idea as to the thoughts running through her mind.

"What about your bandages?" The slimeball tried again, rising to his feet and moving a pace to her right. He hesitantly extended a forepaw in her direction, claws glittering in the early morning sunlight as he offered an upturned palm. "I did a pretty rushed job last night, so they'll probably need to be changed. If you can just give me a q-quick look, I can-"

 _Now!_ Unbeknownst to the stuttering quack, he had just crossed over the imaginary line that marked the extent of her reach. Like a cougar upon its prey, she pounced on him, claws extended to dig deep into his flesh. His eyes as wide as saucers, the scumbag quickly retreated, but he wasn't quite fast enough. While she missed her intended target of the dragon's placating smile, Kayla still managed to latch on to the forepaw that had been offered to her but a moment ago. Red crimson flowed over her talons as she heard the dragon cry out in pain, the sound bringing her a perverted sense of joy. _That's right, scream all you want, how_ _does_ _it feel getting torn to shreds by your own kind?_

Kayla's assault was cut short once again by the chain, which snapped tight and allowed the half-wit to stumble free, blood dripping freely from the long set of talon marks she had torn in his foreleg. Infuriated by his escape, Kayla thrashed around wildly, pulling at the surprisingly sturdy chain with all her might. As she did so, Kayla became only vaguely aware of the constant string of words now babbling forth from her mouth. "You ancestor's-damned, shit-scaled TRAITOR! I stuck my neck out for you, and you stab me in the fucking back! Your parents must have been a venomous little snake and a bug-eyed dreadwing! And after they had you, your puny little egg was just thrown out into the mud! Because even they could see what a colossal piece of crap you were going to turn out to be. And when I get my paws back on you, I'm going to... I'm going to... Fuc-"

Kayla cut herself off, finally flopping back to the floor in defeat. Despite throwing everything she had into it, the chain remained unaffected, the anchor point driven into the far wall not having budged so much as an inch. Panting heavily, Kayla glanced around the jail, noting with some minor satisfaction the bloody trail left by the ape-lover as he had limped back outside the cell to where he was now tended his wounds. The two apes by the door seemed to be in the middle of recovering from a laughing fit over her outburst, much to her chagrin. Mourn remained as impassive as ever, only giving her head the tiniest of shakes as she glanced up from her carving to watch the alchemist wrap his injured limb with a roll of white linen. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Vox."

Kayla had just about enough of this. Summoning up her elemental power, she dove back into the ground at her feet, slipping back into the realm of shadows. The silence that greeted her was music to her ears, and allowed Kayla to properly reorient herself. First, finish what she had started with the coward, then get the hell out of here. But even as she felt herself move forward, Kayla's progress was again halted by the same restraints originating from somewhere in her incorporeal form. Shifting her distorted view back towards her cell, Kayla was dismayed to find the same cursed length of chain stretching from the back of her cell to the dark puddle of shadows she currently occupied. Despite the solid metal seemly dissolving into nothingness as soon as it crossed the barrier between worlds, Kayla could still feel it exerting a pull on her, preventing her from moving any further. Burning through as much energy as she dared, Kayla swept back and forth, trying to determine if there were any newfound weak spot in the chain's reach. But as the need for oxygen finally began to dim the edges of her vision, Kayla released her control of the shadows and allowed herself to drift back up to the world of light.

A weary ache now permeating throughout most of her being, Kayla allowed herself to sprawl out in an ungainly mess, focusing only on recuperating as much energy as she could. Her elemental reserves had been running close to empty even before her capture, and she had just about used up all the meager amount of power she had regained in her drugged sleep. Still, there was a way out of this, she knew there had to be. She just needed a quick rest and some peace and quiet to see it.

"So, it's like I thought then." Kayla sprang back to her feet as the soft voice spoke again from the direction of her cell door. Lowering herself down into the crouch, she let out a menacing growl towards the figure now leaning against the bars that made up the doorway. The poison dragon watched her uneasily as he gestured towards the chain with his injured forepaw, the haphazardly dressed bandages there already soaked through with his blood. "Shadow dragons can fuse themselves down into their shadows, but they also bring anything currently touching them as well. So all you have to do to cage one is just tie them up to a tree so to speak."

Kayla narrowed her eyes at the plague-bringer, her tail idly dragging the chain behind her. "So you think you're some sort of intellectual huh? Telling every last draconic secret to your little ape buddies and pretending like it was some revelation passed down by the ancestors? Pathetic."

"No, actually. It was just a theory I was playing around with in my own head. They figured this one out all on their own." The dung-for-brains dragon replied with a shrug. Kayla sniffed doubtfully, deciding to content herself with pacing back and forth across the width of the cell, the chain rattling menacing in her wake. Seeming content that her shouting match was finished, he cleared his throat yet again. "Kayla, I was serious about helping you, even after your... reaction to my approach. If you'd just let me-"

"Don't call me that." Kayla snapped. "I didn't think it was possible to hate my own name until I heard you say it."

"Alright, suit yourself Black Wing." The snake replied without skipping a beat. Briefly turning away from the dragon, Kayla allowed her brow to furrow in momentary befuddlement. There it was again, Black Wing. Mourn had called her the exact same thing when she had first awoke. Okay, sure, she had black wings, two of them in fact, but it was far from her most defining feature. At least it didn't sound like an outright insult, although Kayla was torn on whether or not it was better than the apes just referring to her by her given name.

Returning her attention to her tormentor and the silent ape audience, Kayla allowed some of her pent up venom to seep into her tone as she sneered at the pathetic wimp. "If you really want to help, _fine_! Here's how. Drag those ridiculously long claws across your throat for me, it'll save me from getting any more of your filth on my scales." Kayla paused to shove her still bloodied claws deep into the bucket of water, making sure to put much more effort than needed to scrub herself clean.

Despite the red blood still dripping from his wound, the double crosser seemed to adopt the same callus attitude of the apes behind him, only rolling his eyes at her comment. "Cute, but I'm just fine with providing medical aid. No matter how uncooperative the patient."

"You're a lot braver than you were last night." Kayla retorted. "I suppose seeing someone chained and helpless is the only way you can convince yourself you're something better than the repulsive prick you are."

"Well, you being chained up over there is certainly not causing me to fear for my life." The bucket of dreadwing dung sighed, pushing himself off the door frame to wobble unsteadily on three legs. "But I'm just a weak little poison dragon, so it's not like I was held in very high esteem prior to my current arrangements either."

Kayla stopped pacing, her eyes lighting up as an idea popped into her head. "That's right, you're a poison dragon!" She exclaim, startling everyone with her sudden enthusiasm. "That means you could probably whip up some pretty potent acid, right?"

Mourn had stopped her whittling, now sitting stock still as she hung on Kayla's every word. At the entrance, the two apes stood at attention, one readying a small dirk while the other unholstered the hand crossbow he carried at his belt. The sell-out now regaled her with what she could only describe as a wary glare. "I suppose I could." He said after a few moments of consideration. "What of it?"

"You can probably melt right through this chain, right?" Kayla pressed, well aware that the apes were now shifting nervously at her words. "Everything I've said to you won't matter it you do that. Just burn away the chain, help me overpower these butt-ugly primates, and then the two of us could just run out that door and fly away. Everything you've done, every dastardly, treacherous crime you've ever committed would all be forgiven if you just help me. Your one chance at redemption, right here, right now. What do you say?"

Of course, Kayla had absolutely no intention of forgiving the twerp. If anything, he would be the first one she would take out if he followed through with her plan. No point repeating past mistakes and leaving her back exposed to the dragon's eager claws. She also knew she was sacrificing a lot by cluing the apes in as well, but none of the three guards seemed particularly well equipped to deal with her at her worst. Without the War Chief or any of the captains present, they seemed like pushovers now that she knew their ace in the hole was whatever concoctions the rogue before her could dream up. Just avoid getting hit by a crossbow bolt and she would be in the clear. And as she gauged her remaining elemental power, a small smirk crossed her face as she realized that the apes would only be grasping at shadows.

"Please, Xavier." She urged again, resisting the sensation to gag as she resorted to using the weak-willed miscreant's name. Everything hinged on him right now. He knew it, she knew it, and the apes now standing at the ready knew it, all eyes were on him. One choice was all it would take to make all the difference in the world.

The poisoner seemed to consider her words carefully, his pupils flicking back and forth under his half descended eyelids. For the briefest of moments, Kayla thought she saw his uninjured forepaw twitch, the shadow of action briefly jolting through his system. But then he looked back up at her, and she beheld the same blank mask from last night. "So, that's your grand escape plan? Have me free you, overpower the guards, and just up and fly away? Leave all of this far behind us?"

Kayla didn't reply, apart from settling back on her haunches. He wasn't going to do it, she could see it written all over his face. He was already too far gone. Mourn seemed to notice it to, as she leaned back into her chair once more, although the carving lay forgotten on the table beside her. With an impassive grunt, the cowed weakling temporarily allowed a ghost of amusement to pass in front of his face. "Well, it's a simple plan, I'll give you that. Just fly away from everything. Almost makes me wonder why I didn't think of that before now."

With that, the dragon turned back around to limp back to his medical supplies. Feeling cold fury bubble up within her once more, Kayla opened her mouth to launch another verbal assault when the words shriveled in her throat. From the very first time she had met the dragon, there had been something off about him. Much of that she now realized was due to his questionable allegiance, but something else had been bothering her too. It had taken her awhile to place, but it was the way he always walked. The dragon's gait just seemed... wrong somehow. Any footsteps with his left side always seemed to propel him forward a little more than intended, his shoulder rolling back a bit further than normal. And now, only once she was finally able to get a clear look at his back in broad daylight did Kayla finally understand the magnitude of the other dragon's plight.

It was his wings. Or rather, his wing. For while the dragon still had a folded gray wing tucked against his right side, the corresponding partner on his left was just... gone. There was absolutely nothing left. As the dragon rose up to rest his forepaws on the table once again, Kayla noted the jagged scar that ran down his back where the wing membrane usually fused with scales. The flesh there looked raw, an old scab the only protection from the harsh outside world. As she continued to stare, feelings of revulsion coursed through her as she noticed the ridges of bones shifting under the wound, still operating as if the appendage hadn't been torn out long ago. Little wonder why he had seemed exceedingly fearful whenever she almost dragged him off the edges of the platforms last night, he would have simply plummeted to his death while she flew on. Sure, that was a rather appealing concept now, but back then she would have felt terrible had she inadvertently caused his death like that. And yet, despite everything he had done to her, despite all the resentment and hate wrapped up within her, Kayla still couldn't prevent herself from feeling a twinge of pity for the dragon. Just what had transpired to him under the rule of these apes?

"I wouldn't worry about that happening to you." Kayla shook her head, finally tearing her gaze away from the wound to notice him watching her over his shoulder. "Rakk said that he wanted to keep you... _intact_ was the word he used. As long you don't mess around too much with that wing brace, he'll let you keep all your limbs. Probably. Best not to give him any ideas though, if you catch my drift."

Gingerly clutching a stout container in his injured forepaw as well as a bundle of cloth, the crippled dragon hobbled back into her cell. "Since I'm not going to make any progress, I guess I'll just have to settle for changing your bandages. Except I'm not going to dare get within reach of you again, I get enough cuts from my day-to-day interactions. But I suppose Mourn might be a better nurse than a _shit-scaled traitor_ like me..."

"Not in this life or the next one Vox." Mourn piped up. "You were too frightened to do anything but shake and shiver when I got near you. Black Wing would probably rip my throat out with great enthusiasm."

"Just take these." The grounded sack of scales groaned, chucking the fresh bandages over to the silent Kayla, who caught them with a practiced paw. Turing the glass jar around in his paw, he spoke again in the same detached tone. "And when you change the bandages, put this salve on. It'll help the scales mend faster from when I...w-well..." Trailing off, the betrayer shook his head before lightly tossing the jar over to her as well, only to have it returned to him a second later at several times the initial velocity.

As the snake reeled back, cupping his right eye as the jar spun off into an unused corner of the cell, Kayla allowed herself one last vindictive smirk. "This doesn't change anything, you flightless worm. At this point, I wouldn't even care if you had bright purple scales under all that, I'm still going to get out of here and make you suffer for what you've done. I'll hang you by your tail from the tallest tree and laugh as you wiggled around helplessly. Then I'd cut the rope and watch you plummet like a stone."

The piece of raw sewage just stood there and watched her, flinching as each new barb landed upon him. Kayla immediately picked up on the dragon's insecurity around his wings, a devilish grin curling around her face. She may be restrained, but that wasn't to say she still couldn't hurt the traitor in different ways. "You hear me _Xavier_? That's what I'm going to do when I get out of here. Because you aren't a dragon, just a slimy, disgusting snake. You shouldn't even have been born in the first place."

"And that goes for the rest of you too." Kayla raised her voice to directly address the apes still listening to her rant. "I don't know why any of you thought it was a better idea to lock me up rather than just kill me, but it will be the worst mistake you've ever made. There will come a day once I'm out of here where this entire village is burned to ashes and most of you will lie dead at my feet. And that's a promise I plan to keep."

Silence reigned for all of a few seconds before one of the door guards leaned over and nudged his companion, whispering something in his ear. A second later, both apes burst out laughing, doubling over in hilarity as Kayla watched on with clenched teeth. A hollow clang briefly interrupted the ape's merrymaking as the maggot brain slammed the cell door back behind him. Without so much as a glance back at her, he hurriedly piled all of his supplies back into their satchel. With a sidelong glance towards Mourn, the poison dragon jerked his head back toward the cell. "Send word to Rakk for any unexpected developments. Captain Frenzy is stationed a level below if you need immediate reinforcements."

Mourn only solemnly nodded as she made to pick her carving up again. For the briefest of moments, she seemed to consider saying something to the clan's chief alchemist, but decided against it. Eyes firmly glued to the floor, the faux-dragon strode out of the door with all due haste, the still chuckling door guards following him out. As the room fell silent once more, Kayla reached back and began probing the wing brace for any type of weak point. She wouldn't get a taste of sweet, sweet revenge until she was free, so there was no time to waste.

After another few minutes of silent exploration of her bonds, Kayla noticed the rhythmic scratches of the carving knife come to a stop. Quickly abandoning the strip of leather she had been working free of the device, Kayla looked back out the cell doors to see Mourn staring at her. The ape's sightless eye seemed to pierce right through her, and an unnatural chill crept up the shadow dragoness' spine. When the primate spoke, it was with a sense of authority, mixed with a little... pity? "Even if the War Chief ordered it, he was genuinely trying to help you. You do realize that, don't you Black Wing?"

"I don't need his type of help." Kayla snarled. "He's the entire reason why I'm in this mess, from the poisoned bobby trap hidden in your storehouse to getting literally stabbed in the back. Now if you shut up and get back to your worthless carving, I might just let you live."

Even as she turned her attention back to her harnesses, Kayla felt the ape's eyes on her for another minute before the _shiirk_ of the knife running over wood resumed. But Mourn had shaved only a few more layers off the uncompleted figure before she was interrupted yet again. Drifting in through the open doorway, a cacophony of every bird call imaginable filled the cell, the sunlight briefly flickering as every avian in the vicinity took flight at once. Frowning, Mourn made to stand when the floor gave a sudden jump that sent the ape sprawling. Being slightly more agile, Kayla managed to remain on her feet, but only at the cost of traipsing around like a drunken sailor as the great tree they were in swayed back and forth.

"Is this a regular occurrence here?" Kayla demanded, even as Mourn unsteadily rose to her feet. The ape only gave a single shake of the head, even while cries of alarm echoed in from the outside. The first hints of smoke tickled Kayla's nostrils as her jailer quickly grabbed a spare length of chain from the wall, complete with another poorly made collar. As Mourn stepped into the cell, Kayla realized what she was going to do and immediately dropped into a defensive pose, tail flickering out behind like a cobra ready to strike.

But Mourn would not be so easily discouraged. Stopping just short of the dragoness, the ape tapped her nose, smoke now easily visible as it drifted past the doorway in thin wisps. "Where there's smoke, there's fire. If you stay here, you will burn to death. If you come with me, you will live. Your choice Black Wing."

Kayla weighed her options as a troop of apes rushed past the door, the shouts of a distant commander spurning them into action. If nothing else, Mourn would be far easier to break free of than the anchor she was currently bound to. Had the opportunity she was hoping for come so soon? With a reluctant sigh, Kayla relaxed her posture and tilted her neck up, allowing Mourn clear access to her neck. Quickly clamping the new collar above the old, the ape drew the ring of keys out and selected a large bronze one toward the middle of the ring. An action that did not escape Kayla's notice as the previous collar popped off under the ape's administrations.

Deciding to wait until the ape least expected it, Kayla allowed herself to be peacefully guided out of the cell by Mourn. "So, what's the big deal anyways?" The dragoness asked in an upbeat voice. Whatever it was, it was bad for the apes and potentially good for her, and that was all she needed to base an opinion on.

"I don't know." Mourn confessed as they stepped out into the sunlight, only to be immediately rebuffed by another squad of soldiers rushing past. They received a few suspicious or bewildered glances, but no one dared to stop to confront the odd pair. "But if I were to guess, there's only one species that could cause this much chaos."

"Dragons."


	5. Armageddon

**Chapter 5 – Armageddon**

The village was positively bustling with activity as the entirety of the clan busied themselves with repairing their houses in the wake of the storm. Male, female, the occasional cub, anyone not assigned to a critical function pitched in to patch leaks and mend broken window grates. Set in the distant southern canyon wall, the blacksmith and glassblower forges were pumping thick plums of smoke up into the early morning sky, their respective artisans likely swamped with an unprecedented amount of work. Even with the heightened sense of vigilance after last night's escape attempt, a jovial atmosphere still pervaded the air as the apes set about resuming their daily lives.

At least, everyone aside from the draconic alchemist winding his way through the upper levels of the catwalks. Forcing himself to maintain a rhythmic breathing pattern, Xavier was able to conceal most of his emotions behind an outward mask, even as he felt himself crumbling inside. The fresh wounds on his right leg still sent flashes of hot pain across his body with each step, each pulse only serving to remind him of the shadow dragoness' hateful glare. Unbidden, her words crept back into his mind's eye, carrying with them the expression of pure revulsion she had worn as she delivered them. " _Because you aren't a dragon,_ _just a slimy, disgusting snake_ _._ _You shouldn't even have been_ _born in the first place._ "

A sudden shout caused Xavier to look up, the dragon and his guards politely stepping aside to admit a squad of apes bearing several slats of heavy wood onto the narrow walkway they currently occupied. As they passed, one of the apes stuck out with his iron tipped boot, grazing the dragon's uninjured foreleg. Xavier took the blow without so much as flinching, intensifying his emotionless mask as the ape let out a brief guffaw before ambling past. Apparently the novelty of seeing one of the fearsome dragons brought so low never seemed to fade, as this treatment was typical anytime he set foot outside of his hut. Thankfully, no ape below the rank of sergeant ever dared cause any injury that would leave a visible mark, least they invoke the wrath of Rakk or the captains.

But today, Xavier was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to give the apes the time of day. Did Kayla really think that of him? It was one thing to disagree with his current allegiance, but to say that he didn't even deserve the life he had before this? He was not the one to blame here, there wasn't anything else he could do. Out of the very limited options he had, Xavier was sure he had made the correct choice. She may not understand now, but there was no way to actively go against Rakk. Especially for a dragon with his... disability.

Besides, there was no way for him to actually confess to the shadow dragoness that what he was doing was for the good of all dragonkind and their allies. Even though the apes seemed determined to wait out the war here in Blood Hollow, there were always occasional skirmishes with intruders. Both the dragon alliance and the Dark Master's dread army are shown up occasionally over the years. But ever since Xavier had come to be relied upon for the poison supplied to the Viper's Fang, their capability to deal death had slowly become neutered over the course of his captivity. Sedative doses were miscalculated and the paralysis agents he supplied became more of an inconvenience to those inflicted rather than a death knell. As painful as it inevitably ended up being for him, the duplicity with regards to his famed _Hydra's Draught_ acid was by far the crowing achievement. It was a sabotage that could only be perpetuated with the ape's continued reliance on his abilities, something that Xavier was uniquely suited for in his current station.

Surely she would understand? He had found a way to _win,_ even if it came at the constant cost of his well being. If she knew the whole story, she would change her mind, Xavier was sure of it. She had to. She must.

Feeling his gaze glass over, Xavier slowed to a stop in the middle of the bridge he was currently crossing, much to the indignation of the two guards still tailing him. Ignoring the grumbling directed at him, Xavier allowed his eyes to sweep over the village until he located the prison tree once again. But that was just the thing, wasn't it? She could never know. As evidenced by his newly appointed escorts, Rakk was not going to let the two dragons have a private conversation anytime soon. Which meant that telling Kayla would also reveal his deception to the apes, thus defeating the purpose. Even Mourn, the one ape Xavier felt he was on neutral terms with, would immediately report him to her superiors. Who was he kidding, at this point even Kayla herself would happily sell him out, exacting her vengeance through ape hands.

Feeling an impatient jab at his side, Xavier slowly began walking again, finally tearing his eyes away from Kayla's tree. She was right, in a way. Even though he had made the best of his captivity, that still did not excuse the fact that he was a prisoner in the first place. He wasn't a dragon, a dragon would have had the strength and resolve to break free of the chains holding him back, both figuratively and literally. Even if their escape plan had worked last night, could he ever look another dragon in the face again, with the knowledge of everything that he had done here? He was a disgrace, even among the relatively low bar set for most poison dragons. Unless...

Hoping that his face wouldn't betray him, Xavier felt a small spark kindle within him. He could still save her. Find a way to get Kayla out of here, allow her to experience the freedom he could only ever dream about. It wouldn't matter if she thanked him or spat in his face, the deed alone would be worth it. A true act of rebellion, his one chance of redemption as she had so tactfully put it. The only reason that apes would have taken her captive in the first place was if she was to play a part of some importance to Rakk's grand design, a mysterious plot that the War Lord kept secret even from his captains. And if Xavier could throw a wrench into the works, it wouldn't quite be redemption, but it would be something. But they would need a far better plan than Kayla's attempts to woo him back to her side. For starters, she never seemed to consider the squad of archers posted just outside her hut with crossbows at the ready...

But before Xavier could even begin to formulate a more nuanced strategy, a strange cacophony reached his ears. A dull rumble, followed by the considerably louder storm of squawking that arose as every bird in the vicinity vacated their roosts. Both Xavier and all the nearby apes fell dead silent, each of them watching with rapt attention as the wave of avians drew closer and closer, new members rising up from other parts of the forest to join their brethren. All while the rumbling grew more intense, until it was strumming a frantic tempo in the young dragon's chest. What in the world was coming for them, and how much did Xavier feel he would regret finding out the answer?

It was upon them in a heartbeat. With a gust of scorching wind, the earth split open into a gaping maw as it tore across the western end of the hollow, spewing forth fire and fury from deep within. Cries of fear rang out as the apes watched molten lava spew forth to creep towards the westernmost set of trees, lighting the undergrowth aflame as it did so. Even as Xavier watched, more cracks soon spread throughout the rest of the hollow, although the lava gushing forth from these crevasses dulled in comparison to the veritable river flowing toward the western edge of the village. Nearly knocked over the side by a panicked family of simians, Xavier's eyes snapped to the prison several trees away, the military complement guarding it quickly vacating the premises as the lava slowly crept closer. But there was no sign of any shadow dragon taking advantage of the sudden lack of supervision. Kayla was still in there, and it wouldn't be long until the lava consumed the tree with her along with it.

Well, he did just resolve to do his best to save her. Overlooking such a prime opportunity would be almost criminal at this point. Even though Xavier would have preferred to have a plan, or any idea of what was currently going on. But the poison dragon would have to be quick, he lacked any way to escape the all-consuming fire should it cut his current tree off from its neighbors. Ducking under a slew of flailing arms as more apes barreled past, Xavier pivoted and began sprinting as fast as he could against the tide of primates, back towards the prison.

"Hey, stop!" A voice shouted after him. Glancing over his shoulder, Xavier saw one of his guards chasing after him, his companion having already been swept away with the terrified mob. Deciding that a fight on the already treacherous platforms would not end well, Xavier slid to a halt to allow his pursuer to catch up, tail swishing back and forth behind him nervously. The ape was upon him within mere moments, a mixture of terror and anger on his face as he stood over the young dragon. Reaching forward, the ape grasped both of Xavier's horns and pulled the dragon close to him. Grimacing, Xavier resorted to awkwardly balancing on his hind legs as the ape manhandled his head up to eye level. "And where do you think you're running off to, whelp?"

Luckily, Xavier already came up with a reasonable excuse. "The prisoner," he replied without hesitation, making sure to accentuate the fear already present in his voice. "If the War Chief finds out we just left his prize to die, how do you think he's going to _reward_ us?"

The ape hesitated, obviously weighing Rakk's punishment with the wave of fiery death moving sluggishly closer. Xavier's eyes began to water as smoke began to choke the air, an uninhabited tree turning into a towering torch as the lava claimed its base. But it was the sight of one of a certain black-furred captain beating a hasty retreat a level below them that finally seemed to harden the ape's resolve. Letting the dragon go, the ape soldier pointed back the way they came. "Not our problem Voxus. Let's just get out of here, Mourn and the prison guards will take care of Black Wing."

"It _is_ our problem." Xavier pressed, taking a measured step back out of the ape's reach. "If she somehow gets free, I'm the only one that can quickly subdue her alive. There won't be any danger if we just hurry!" Not waiting for the ape's response, Xavier turned and resumed his charge. That should do it, the ape would tell the others Xavier was acting on behest of the clan. Not a bad way to secure an alibi now that Xavier thought about it.

After crossing the next bridge, Xavier was somewhat perplexed to find his ape guard silently following behind him, evidently having decided to help. This was unexpected, the simian should have turned tail like everyone else. The ape's gaze was fixed on the wall of fire now closing in on the outermost trees, eyes wide and skittish as beads of sweat dripped down his face. Noting the increased heat, Xavier continued forward across the noticeably vacant platforms toward their destination. He just hoped the added tag-along wouldn't complicate matters.

Xavier was scared, how could he not be? Even a fire dragon would quake at the sight of the raging inferno slowly consuming the forest. But something told him it wouldn't be much better going with the rest of the apes, it was rapidly growing clear that this sudden rift was not an isolated incident. The earth continued to heave and shake, sending both healthy and burning trees toppling in the distance. The sky, from what little of it he could see from in between the pillars of smoke, looked almost blood red. There would be no refuge, no safe haven for any of them. Except maybe for Kayla, if he could just get the wing brace off. And then he would figure out something for himself, he always had in the past. No matter how morally questionable it was, if there was something he was good at, it was surviving.

"Hold her, Hold her!" A sudden shout interrupted Xavier's train of thought as he and his reluctant foot soldier slowed to a halt as an unusual procession stumbled off the bridge ahead. Two apes struggled forward, both of them tightly gripping a chain that seemingly fused to with the floor beneath them. Recognizing one of them as Mourn, Xavier noticed a thick black blob covering the platform as the chain continued to sporadically shake and rattle. After another tense second of struggle, the chain went slack as the shadow dragoness burst back into being before them, panting heavily. Almost immediately, her crimson eyes settled on Xavier.

"Traitor!" She screamed, lunging forward in a move that sent both Mourn and the one remaining prison guard stumbling forward. Before Xavier could do anything more than lamely open his mouth to protest his innocence, Kayla barreled into him, knocking him flat on the uncomfortably warm metal catwalk. Feeling an intense pressure on his chest, Xavier beheld the dragoness crouched over him, claws readying for a downward thrust. Reacting instinctively, Xavier threw one of his own paws up in her path, globules of green venom flowing freely from his talons. He hoped she would get the hint, all it would take was one scratch and she would be back in dreamland. _Don't do it_. He silently urged. _Please, I'm trying to help you._

Noticing his claws, Kayla did indeed hesitate, suddenly unsure of whether or not she was going to follow through with her stab. But before she could make up her mind, Xavier's rescue came in the form of an unlikely individual. An imposing ape paw entered his field of vision to grasp the collar dangling around the shadow dragoness' neck. Tugging back with a surprisingly strong jerk, Kayla let out a gurgle as she was abruptly yanked off of Xavier, clutching at her throat as she struggled to get free of her restraints.

Mourn stood over the pair, reluctantly releasing Kayla as the dragoness took a swipe at her. Placing herself in between the dragons, Mourn glared down at the scowling dragoness with dominating authority. "Enough!" The ape matron bellowed, although her voice was mostly lost in the roar of the inferno. "Look around you Black Wing. Ape, dragon, or traitor, we are all in danger. If you don't stop your childish tantrum and cooperate, we will all burn."

"Screw you." Kayla growled in response, flashing her rather imposing set of fangs towards the obstinate ape. "If you really cared about making sure I'm safe, then rip these pain-in-the-ass chains off already. But that would be disobeying your master's precious orders, wouldn't it?"

Any further argument was forestalled by a sudden heat wave that swept over the entourage. Dragging himself up from the ground, Xavier let out a gasp as the imposing redwood that had served as Kayla's prison moments before ignited with a burst of fiery vengeance. Flames raced up the trunk as the branches far above sputtered into blazing light. The huts and buildings carved out of the tree's multiple levels turned into hellish infernos, fire spitting out of the doors and windows as the wood creaked and groaned. The few metal platforms on the tree quickly ripped free of their weakened moorings, plummeting down to the forest floor where they either landed with a loud _clang_ , or were consumed by the molten mass at the base.

But the one facet of destruction that drew the onlooker's attention was the set of bridges connecting their tree to the prison. The braided rope and wooden slats served only to entice the fire towards its next victim, the heat wave caused by the approaching flames foretelling of the fate that awaited them. To Xavier's relief, the imminent danger accomplished what the apes could not as Kayla's rebellious attitude immediately subsided to be replaced instead by pure fear. Not that Xavier could say he looked any better at the moment. He was used to insults and small injuries, but the thought of burning alive sent chills down his spine.

But it was Mourn, the only one in the group who shouldn't be accustomed to such strenuous situations, that took command. "You," she spat, pointing to the ape Xavier had dragged along. "Grab the chain, help us control her. Vox, lead the way, but stay well out of Black Wing's reach. I won't have time to save you again." Reaching forward as she instructed, the ape soldier grasped the leash, although the metal hung loosely in his paws, his stature suggesting every desire to bolt and run at the first opportunity. Swallowing nervously, the poison dragon stumbled backwards as he made his way towards the next rope bridge, the now orderly prisoner possession following smoothly in his wake. Xavier's guard lead the black dragoness forward with an unsteady hand, while Mourn and the other prison guard maintained their own grip on the leash from behind.

Making sure to carefully plan each footstep on the bridge, Xavier felt his heart pump adrenalin through his body as his mind raced around at unparalleled speeds. If he was going to get Kayla free, he would have to overpower the apes, and do it before they caught up with the rest of the fleeing clan. It wouldn't be hard, especially considering that his guard would probably start running instead of fighting. But not here, not now. It would take time to get the chains off Kayla, something that they had precious little of at the moment. He could do this, he just needed to find the right opportunity.

Suddenly, a yell rang out behind him just as Xavier reached the halfway point across the swaying rope bridge, causing the poison dragon to hesitate and check over his shoulder. The prison guard accompanying Mourn had misstepped, the ape's leg dangling uselessly between two of the wooden planks. Fire was already lapping at the platforms they just vacated, a fact that was clearly driving the trapped simian into a blind panic. Both Kayla and Mourn paused as well, the former obviously considering another escape attempt. But Mourn seemed torn on whether or not to help her fallen comrade. The only one who looked sure of himself was Xavier's guard, who had dropped Kayla's leash from his position just in front of the shadow dragoness and had instead turned into a full blown sprint to the other end of the bridge. A path whose only obstacle was the meek, emerald scaled dragon clinging to the rope handrail as the bridge bucked and swayed.

Realizing that the ape had finally lost what little discipline he once had, Xavier pressed himself down and to the side, wrapping his forelegs even more tightly around the handrail. This was the one action that saved his life as the ape collided with him, the impact more than enough to send the lower half of the dragon's body over the side of the bridge. With a panicked cry, Xavier held on for dear life, his one remaining wing instinctively flapping in the smoke-laden air in an attempt to stabilize himself. Unperturbed, the ape struggled back to his feet before continuing his mad dash to safety. Having now spun around to look back over the bridge they crossed, Xavier watched as both Mourn and Kayla gave up any pretense of fearlessness themselves as they also closed the distance to where Xavier was struggling to right himself. Behind them, the prison guard was screaming at the top of his lungs, begging someone, anyone, to help him. But Xavier managed to drown out the cries as he strained to bring his hind legs back up to the wooden slats. If he could just get some purchase, he would be able to drag himself back onto the bridge properly...

A loud crack echoed through the hollow as Mourn and Kayla reached his position. Facing backwards towards the wall of fire, Xavier was the only one to notice their impending doom. The prison, now a blazing column of flame, was falling, tipping over to land further into the village. And since Xavier happened to be the unluckiest dragon alive, the tree was plunging right towards them. As they passed him, Kayla and Mourn slowed to a stop despite themselves, perhaps noticing the expression of pure terror plastered on his face. Turning around, they too beheld the toppling tree just before impact, the trapped prison guard behind them letting out a blood-curdling screech.

It wasn't a direct hit. Instead, the flaming prison glanced off the tree behind them, showering the remaining pairs of dragon and ape with a rain of red hot embers and ash. With the crackle and snap of crisp tree limbs accompanying it the whole way down, the gargantuan trunk slid along the bark of the other tree until the flaming wreckage reached the platforms. The trapped ape's scream was suddenly cut off as the tree slammed into him and the rope bridge, instantly severing through the anchors on what remained of the far platform. Xavier felt himself dangle in the air for a blissful second before he too plummeted towards the smoke laden air.

While one side of the bridge was severed, the other end at their destination held strong, at least for the moment. Gripping with every last ounce of strength he had, Xavier clung onto the bridge as he whipped through the ashy air, only vaguely aware of Kayla and Mourn going along with him as they had similarly intertwined themselves beside him in the wooden slats. _The trunk._ Xavier's chaotic thoughts finally managed to put together after what felt like an eternity. _Any second now, we're going to hit the other trunk..._

But whether it be good or bad fortune smiling down at the trio, they did not strike the opposing tree trunk. Instead, with another set of whip-like snaps, the bridge finally tore free of the rest of its restraints, flinging itself and its passengers out away from the tree. While Xavier may have felt a millisecond of joy at averting the fate of splattering against the unforgiving bark, it was almost instantly replaced by new heart-stopping horror as he began falling for real. Dropping towards the rapidly approaching forest floor at ever increasing speed, Xavier once again felt his wing extend, attempting to catch the air. If only he could still fly... If only he could save Kayla... If only he could save himself.

Despite bouncing off some stray tree branches on the way down, Xavier hit the ground like a sack of bricks. Impacting tail first, Xavier tumbled head over heels until coming to a stop. His consciousness wavered for a few moments, teetering at the edge of oblivion as numbing shock soothed his numerous wounds. With each breath wracking his chest with stabs of white hot agony, Xavier guessed he must have broken or cracked a few of his ribs. The lightheaded sensation and nausea currently overwhelming him also pointed to a rather severe concussion as well. As cinders continued to drift to the ground around him, Xavier forced his legs under him and pushed, his limbs trembling as he struggled to rise. Come on, he had survived getting his left wing ripped from its socket, so he should be able to deal with a few bumps and bruises.

Or not, as his back right leg immediately folded the second he put any weight on it, an unintended scream of pain tearing past the dragon's lips as he collapsed back to the smoldering ground. After a few seconds of the pain threatening to overwhelm him once more, Xavier twisted his head back to get a good look at himself. His hindquarters had taken the brunt of the impact, as ruby red blood rolled down his green scales from numerous gashes and the largest bruise he could ever recall sustaining. As for his leg, he only needed to see the odd angle it was bent at to know that the bones there were utterly shattered. It was the type of wound that would leave irreparable damage. That is, unless he could obtain some of the mystical red crystals that the dragons used to instantly repair their wounds. As if any of those would dare grow in the Fang's domain.

A flicker of motion in front of him caught Xavier's attention, and he quickly swiveled his head back around to see a shadowy figure limp towards him. It took his addled brain a few seconds to comprehend that it was Kayla, and by that point she was already upon him. The dragoness was breathing unevenly, blood freely pouring down her face as she glared down at Xavier. Reaching a shaking paw forward, she lightly wrapped her talons around Xavier's neck, the alchemist unable to do anything more than to stare pleadingly up at the dragoness.

"The chains." She spat, allowing a small trickle of blood to dribble out of the corner of her mouth. "Melt them. Now. Traitor."

Knowing that his life hung in the balance, Xavier somehow managed to shake his head, vaguely aware of the dragoness' claws pricking his scales as he moved his head. "Can't." He said shortly, his world springing back into slightly sharper focus as adrenalin finally took over once more. "Don't know... concentration needed. Would burn right through you too."

The dragoness bared her fangs, her grip tightening another increment. Although, Xavier dryly noted, she was a far cry from the choke hold Rakk regularly locked him in. All the same, he wasn't willing to see just how far she would go. "M-Mourn." He stuttered out, piping the dragoness' curiosity. "She'd have keys. Ought to be somewhere around here, r-right?"

Kayla released him without another word, turning back from whence she came, her now unattended leash trailing in the dirt behind her. Gathering his strength, Xavier rose to his feet once more, this time making sure to keep his broken leg as out of the way as much as possible. Acutely aware of each footstep causing him immense pain, Xavier silently followed. Glancing around, all he could see was fire and smoke, the rest of the hollow slowly succumbing to the fury of the tempest. Distant shrieks of either apes or wild animals echoed through the woods as the earth shook once more. Whatever was happening, it felt like the end of times.

Nearly tripping over one of the ropes that once made up the bridge, Xavier refocused on what was right before him. The ruins of the bridge laid along the forest floor like a discarded plaything, still smoking in several spots from where it had been burned. Mourn lay before him, nestled against the base of another redwood. Despite having suffered what appeared to be severe wounds herself, Kayla was already probing around the ape's midriff, searching for the elusive key ring. For a few tense seconds, Xavier almost thought the ape dead before he spotted her chest rise and fall. Unconscious, but still alive. Xavier wasn't quite sure if he was glad Mourn still lived, or mildly worried what she would do if she happened to wake up.

"Where is it?!" Kayla suddenly shouted, pounding a clenched fist into simian's back. "I could have sworn they were around her belt, where did they go?!" Noticing Xavier silently standing behind her, Kayla leveled an accusing claw at the dragon. "You, what did you do!? You took them, now where are they?"

Flicking his tongue over his lips, Xavier limped forward another pace. "They should be there, if you'd just let me look..." To his astonishment, Kayla did nothing to prevent his advance, only pausing to wipe the blood free of her eyes as Xavier stood by Mourn's side. Now, if he knew Mourn, the crafty jailer would probably have moved the keys to a less obvious spot once out of Kayla's sight. The most likely place would be-

Another loud snapped from somewhere above caused Xavier to look up just as another batch of flaming debris dropped from the heavens. Shielding his face with a forepaw, Xavier coughed as several softly glowing branches exploded into swirls of embers just a few feet away. High above them, the canopy quickly went up in flames, threatening additional bombardment shortly. They had to move, and quickly.

Under his paws, Xavier felt Mourn take in another shuddering breath, still no closer to waking. "Just get the keys already, you good-for-nothing piece of-" the rest of Kayla's expletive was cutoff as a large segment of platform crashed directly behind her. The shadow dragoness gave an undignified yelp, retreating several paces away, all while casting a fearful look up above. Xavier was heartbeats away from following when he felt Mourn shift yet again. A pained expression flickered across the ape's unconscious features, lips briefly curling back to expose a set of worn and yellowed teeth. And for some reason, Xavier couldn't quite bring himself to leave her side.

It wasn't really that he genuinely liked Mourn, or feared for her safety. Well, except maybe if she was only compared to the rest of her species. In all the years he had been held captive under her watchful eye, the one attribute that garnered her some grudging respect was that she was fair. The only ape in memory not to lash out unexpectedly with either barbed fist or barbed tongue. She had hit him of course, mostly following any of his own numerous escape attempts, but it was still a light punishment compared to what the rest of the clan readily dealt him on a regular basis. Xavier rolled his eyes and let out a small groan. Was a light cuff really something that he was considering friendly treatment these days?

But in the end, it didn't matter how much Xavier actually liked the ape, it boiled down to whether he was willing to leave her here to die. Xavier was a lot of things, many of them detestable by most draconic standards, but a murderer wasn't one of them. Even after his long days of captivity, he was fairly certainly he had never been directly responsible for the deaths of any sentient creature. And while the choice would have been easy to make if it was someone like Rakk at his feet, Mourn was different. Slightly different, enough so that he was sure he could find a justification at a later point in time. And with that final mental retort, Xavier decided on what was arguably one of the stupidest choices he had ever made.

Dropping down to the ape's side, he quickly pulled her limp left arm over his shoulder, angling his wing to pin it in place as well as digging his teeth as tightly as he dared on the primate's forearm. Pulling with strength he didn't know he possessed, he heaved with all his might on the ape, attempting to drag her clear of the flaming grove. Unfortunately, he was still a rather underdeveloped teenage dragon much smaller than the ape, and he only succeeded into rolling her onto her chest. So much for the heroic rescue.

"Are you insane?" Another exclamation echoed rang in Xavier's ears as Kayla drew near once again. "Leave her, just get the keys!" His mouth full of coarse ape fur, Xavier only jerked his head before resuming his struggle. What followed could only be described as a mixture between a scream of anger and a groan of frustration that lasted several long seconds before a black blur rushed past him with the light clink of metal. Taking up a position on Mourn's other side, Kayla grabbed the ape's right arm with considerably less care and threw her own weight into the effort.

After another moment of both dragons silently straining, they finally took a sporadic step forward, Mourn suspended between them. Relying on the unconscious ape to keep pressure off his broken leg, Xavier pushed forward, his weak muscles already crying out for release. But with Kayla's assistance, they made steady progress towards safety. Behind them, more pieces of flaming debris crashed down until the spot they had been occupying moments before was an unrecognizable heap of flashing flame.

The sheer canyon wall loomed before them, the only expanse in sight currently not ablaze. With a final exertion, the unlikely trio all dropped like dead weights onto a flat rock shelf sticking out of the ground. With Mourn's arm still draped over him, Xavier lay on the mercifully cool stone, spitting out stay bits of hair as his broken ribs throbbed painfully under him. Beside him, Kayla shrugged off the ape's limp arm, attempting to slow down her frantic panting. Leering at the dragon and ape beside her, there was no mistaking the reproach in the dragoness' voice. "I...I hate you so much right now."

"Back pouch." Xavier meekly replied. "On her right side. She likes to keep important stuff there."

With an annoyed sniff, the shadow dragoness quickly felt around the ape's belt, her frown only deepening as she did so. "It's not here. There's no keys, and no pouch."

"What?" Xavier winced as he rose to his feet to poke his head over the ape's back to get a good look at where Kayla was investigating. "It should.. be right..." The alchemist trailed off as his claws came to rest on the ape's belt, where an uneven strip of leather still hung from one of the belt's loops. It was gone, likely having been lost in the fall. It was the only place for Mourn to keep keys that Kayla hadn't already checked, but there was nothing left. She was stuck here with him, her wings helplessly pinned by rings of iron. And with fire having already cut off any other escape routes, the dragons were well and truly trapped.

Xavier's exhales quickly fell into a steady pattern that caused his chest to burst with agony and limbs trembling with each new repetition. It took him a few moments to realize that he was laughing, the gravity of their situation finally dawning on him. Not willing to remain standing any longer, Xavier collapsed onto the rock, still chuckling as he rolled onto his back to stare up at the clouded sky. The fit quickly died, almost immediately replaced by another bout of coughing. As he finally nursed himself back into silence, a sharp clang caught his attention. Craning his neck, he spotted Kayla standing against the rock cliff, ramming her side against the unforgiving stone as she desperately tried to tear the device off of her.

"I wouldn't bother." Xavier chimed in, any fear of the dragoness having evaporated with the inferno surrounding them. "You're more likely to tear your wings to shreds rather than get that thing off."

"Shut." _Clang. "_ Up." _Scrape._ She replied, redoubling her efforts in an attempt to drown him out. But as Xavier predicted, the first of the metal rings only bent inwards by an immeasurable increment, even as the dragoness tore a new gash in her right shoulder that left a red streak across the rock.

Deciding to leave her be, Xavier turned his attention back to the distant sky, where he could vaguely spot birds frantically seeking a safe place to land. "Not how I imagined dying, you know." He spoke again, not really caring if Kayla answered him or not. "I always figured the apes would slit my throat, or toss me off a cliff like you suggested. Burning to death was pretty far down on the list, I can tell you that much." Coughing again, Xavier let out another short bark of laughter. "At least, assuming the smoke doesn't get us first."

Realistically, he knew he should be scared out of his scales right now, death hanging over him like a dark specter. But for some reason, he almost welcomed the reaper's embrace. He could leave his broken and lame body behind, all the pain vanishing with the freedom from his earthly shackles. He wouldn't have to watch over his shoulder every waking moment, always wondering if today was the day the apes would finally tire of their pet dragon. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to fly again when he went up to where the ancestors resided, the feeling of wind rushing past him once again as he glided on heaven's zephyrs.

For a few seconds, he allowed his eyes to close, memories of days long past dancing just beyond his eyelids. But he did not soar up to join the bright silhouettes floating on the other side of the veil, instead only feeling the blistering ache of his injuries redouble as the flight-or-fight initiative slowly ebbed from his veins with each additional heartbeat. Another _clang_ rang out across their tiny island of temporary safety, this one immediately followed by a feminine cry of pain. "Why are you even trying?" Xavier wondered aloud as he heard what sounded like the dragoness dropping to the ground somewhere behind him. "Where are you even going to go if you succeed in breaking free?"

The cheerful crackling of the encroaching flames was his only answer for another long minute before Kayla finally replied. "Away. Far, far away from here." Her voice sounded strained, as if every syllable was now costing her an immeasurable amount of effort to spit out. "Away from the fire, away from these dirty apes. And far away from any... flightless snakes."

The earth quaked again, several more trees toppling under gravity's pull in the distance. Reaching a paw up from his post, Xavier gestured around at the remains of the forest around them. "And where exactly is far enough away? Can't you feel it? This isn't some... divine retribution against the Viper Fang clan. It feels like the whole world is falling apart. You'll live longer than either of us, but eventually you'll wind up like the rest of the birds. Falling back to the burning earth when you can't go any further."

A heavy silence feel over them before Kayla finally managed a reply. "At least I'll be able say I died a dragon. Instead of some ape-loving pet."

"Give it a rest already." Xavier shot back, allowing himself a tiny smirk as he heard Kayla's snort of indignation at his rebuttal. "You don't even know the first thing about me, about the choices I've had to make. I don't know about you, but sabotaging an entire ape clan from the inside is about the bravest thing I've ever done."

"Sabotaging? Do you honestly think I'll fall for that?" Kayla shouted, her chain clicking together as she rose to her feet once again. "You've done nothing but follow every command you're given and kissing their butts every chance you've gotten. Do you even know the definition of sabotage, because you are doing the exact opposite of it."

"Yes, so that they wouldn't question me when I do deviate from their orders." Xavier growled, propping himself up on his uninjured forearm to see Kayla standing just a foot away from him. "I give them fake poisons, dilute all the various alchemic mixtures they request. Finding ways to somehow convince them that the weakest potions the clan has ever used are instead the most powerful. Look at me, I'm not a fighter. I'm doing the best I can, that's all I've ever done."

"And I know what you're thinking." Xavier raised his voice for the first time, cutting off Kayla's next bout of shouting before it began. "If I'm doing all that, how did I let you get captured in the first place? Well," Xavier paused, finally breaking eye contact with the dragoness before him. "I remember making that bobby trap when the apes wanted to catch whoever was stealing from their food stores. I deliberately under-dosed it. The trap should have just given any regular adult dragon a drowsy feeling and a sharp warning not to stick around. Of course, I wasn't planning for the thief to be someone closer to my own body mass..."

Kayla's claws scrapped the ground right next to Xavier's ear, causing the reclining poison dragon to wince at the harsh screech. "Wow, you really are a true hero. Oh wait, if I recall correctly, there was something else I was really angry at you for. But what could it possibly be?" The dragoness' sarcastic tone left little doubt in Xavier's mind that he wasn't winning her over any time soon. At least she currently wasn't hurting him, right?

"Well about that, I was kinda hoping they would think I lethally poisoned you and would just..dump your body... away in the woods." Xavier let out an exasperated sigh, running his paw down his face as he stated his plan out loud. Hearing it like that, it really did sound like an incredible long shot to bet Kayla's life on. Opening his eyes again, he beheld the dragoness' incredulous expression staring him in the face as she towered over him, a single eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

Unable to maintain eye contact, Xavier heaved another groan and twisted his head to the side until his gaze rested on the still motionless form of Mourn. "I'm sorry. I really am. You probably had a damn near perfect plan until I got in your way. I'm just… sorry."

"You really can pull a lot of idiotic bullshit right out your ass, you know that?" Kayla finally said, her chain rattling again as she turned and walked away from the dragon to make her own deathbed against the cliff wall.

Xavier's view wavered again as the ground beneath him buckled, the rock shelf they were occupying tilting slightly. Sitting upright once more, Xavier watched as a fresh lava vent burst forth a few dozen feet away. The viscous fluid from within slowly bubbled and popped as it crawled forth to the surface to slowly inch their way. Dragging himself carefully across the rock, Xavier stopped when he was huddled near Mourn's head. "What's the point in lying anymore?" He mused, wrapping his tail around himself and cringing as he bumped his broken leg. "We're only going to live for a few more minutes anyways."

The shadow dragoness remained silent, leaving Xavier alone with his own bleak thoughts. It wouldn't take long now, he realized. Each breath scorched his lungs, and the dizziness from his concussion only seemed to grow worse with each passing moment. Eying the ooze of molten rock rolling towards them, Xavier found himself taking in as deep a breath as he could, silently praying that the smoke would relieve him of consciousness before the lava reached them. The wind whipped around him, a distant humming drumming into his brain. Xavier felt his eyelids drip a little lower, content to just lay there and await his fate.

Although even fate itself seemed to be mocking him, as the lava flow closing in on them began to slow and darken, a hard exterior crust forming only to be broken through moments later by a new surge of magma. This repeated several more times, as Xavier found himself rapidly becoming hypnotized by the oddly enticing process. Again and again, the lava cooled, each new surge stopping quicker and progressing less. And was it just him, or was he catching flashes of a new color interspersed throughout the bright oranges passes of melted rock. Something a bit more...violet in shade.

Looking around again, Xavier realized the ravine as a whole was looking a tad more purple than usual. Fires were dying down, and the larger lava flows were similarly capitulating to the same cooling cycle. Behind him, he heard Kayla shift from where she lay, evidently noticing the change in the air as well. The ground under him began vibrating again, the motion causing an odd wave of serenity to fall over the injured dragon. Somehow, the despair that seemed to envelope him moments before seemed to dissipate, leaving the tiniest ember of hope in its wake. The earth jerked again, and Xavier had the peculiar feeling of drifting through space despite not moving an inch.

"What the fu-" Kayla's explicative was cut off as a ray of vibrant purple light shot out of the ground in front of them. The beam shot off into the sky, punching a hole straight through the smoke ceiling above them. As the astonished dragons watched in abject shock, more pillars of vibrant energy poured out of the other crevasses dotting the hollow. Before Xavier could do anything more than stare with his mouth wide open at the miraculous sight before him, the wave of violet energy rushed forward and swallowed them whole.


	6. Ashes

Chapter 6 – Ashes

Xavier drew in a shuddering breath, his eyes squeezed shut under the forearm he had instinctively thrown up to protect himself. The air around him felt abruptly still, as if the rest of the world awaited whatever came next with nervous anticipation. The entire hollow was now utterly silent, the former crackling of fire and rumbling of earth now conspicuously missing. Even the panicked cries of nearby animals were silenced, as Xavier strained to discern any nearby identifying sounds. He was dead, right? This had to be death, it was the only way he could have been transported away from the hellish and chaotic landscape he had occupied moments before. That purple wave of energy, the only way Xavier could make sense of it was a hallucination brought about by his presence on death's doorstep. If it wasn't, the only other explanation was that something, or someone, had reached out and saved him at the last possible moment.

Cracking open his eyes at long last, Xavier slowly moved his bandaged forepaw away to get a glimpse of his surrounding. His consciousness lurched as he accidentally bumped his still broken leg, the pulverized limb burning with renewed fury at the disturbance. Biting the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from crying out, Xavier duly noted that the continued jolts of pain from his many injuries certainly gave credence to him remaining in the land of the living. Blinking to recover from the purple flash, Xavier surreptitiously performed another experiment to confirm his improbable survival. Flexing the muscles along his back, the poison dragon felt his right wing extend, the atrophied muscles protesting after three years of continued disuse. But from his left side, there was nothing. He was still a one winged dragon, which meant that he was indeed still alive. Although only time would tell if that was something he should be thankful for.

The air still clogged with smoke, Xavier squinted around at the remains of the forest. He hadn't budged an inch, he was still seated on the rock shelf besides the cliff wall. Where there had once been blazing fire, there was now only sullen ash and cinders. The encroaching lava flows had been solidified into rapidly cooling masses of jagged black stone. But Xavier was no closer to piecing the puzzle together. Purple, why had it been purple anyways?

"What. The. Fuck." Startled by the unexpected voice, Xavier turned as quickly as his injuries would allow to see Kayla standing directly behind him. She wore an equally befuddled expression, any malice towards him momentarily forgotten as she surveyed the ravaged hollow. On the other hand, Mourn was still blissfully sleeping on the stone besides them.

A sudden brand of pain tore through Xavier, forcing him to let out a soft exclamation of agony. Unperturbed by his discomfort, Kayla prodded his broken leg again, her hatred evidently quick to resurface. "Hey, fleabag, care to explain what sort of mad science experiments you've been cooking up with your ape buddies? Trying to blow up the world? Or whatever the purple wave was…."

Dragging himself out of the reach of the pestering dragoness, Xavier raised a paw towards her, pleading for mercy. "T-that wasn't us!" He exclaimed, flinching as she took a menacing limp towards him. "I deal in potions and salves, nothing I make could come even remotely close t-to any of….of this!"

"Then what in the ancestor's name was it?" Kayla growled, unimpressed by his groveling. "A whimpering little snake like you has to know something, so just spit it out already!"

"I….I…." Xavier hesitated, trying to find an answer that would calm her down. He knew absolutely zilch about what had just happened, and he felt reasonably sure that Rakk had no means of creating such monumental outputs of elemental power himself. Especially something that purple for that matter. But why did he keep getting hung up on the color of the energy pulse that had just saved both of their lives? It was beyond a doubt the least important detail of the event, but his nitpicking mind refused to let it go. Purple, what was so significant about purple, it felt like something was just tantalizingly out of his reach…

"Purple!" He burst out suddenly, the memories finally flooding back to him. How could he have forgotten, it must be the purple dragon! Born once every ten generations, the wielder of all four primary elements, their secret weapon against the Dark Master. Xavier still wasn't sure about the cause of the near cataclysm, but the sudden wave of energy had to be the purple dragon.

Noticing Kayla giving him a bewildered stare, Xavier quickly elaborated on his initial exclamation. "The purple dragon! The one that the apes tired to kill with the Year of the Dragon massacre. That must have been what rescued us just now. He saved us!"

Seeing only further skepticism from Kayla, Xavier sat up as properly as his injuries would allow, genuine excitement flowing through him for what felt like the first time in a millennia. "It's just like my parents used to tell me. I don't know what almost tore the world apart, but it probably had something to do with the great war. Maybe we just won, how incredible would that be?"

Still giving him an incensed look, Kayla hopped off the rock shelf, her loose chain rattling behind her. "You know, you're a lot of things shit-scale. A traitor, a coward, and by far the wimpiest male I've ever had the misfortune to cross paths with. But I'll admit, the one thing I didn't expect was for you to also be a superstitious nitwit."

"A superstitious nitwit?" Xavier echoed, not noticing how dangerously close they were coming to a civil conversation. "There's been dozens of recorded instances of purple dragons throughout our history. And it was lined up so that another would be born at the same time we were, how can you just dismiss that as superstitions?"

"Because handling one element is tough enough." Kayla retorted, grimacing again as she wiped the blood dribbling down her forehead with the back of a forepaw. "And you expect me to believe that this _miracle_ of a dragon can waltz around with complete mastery of four radically different elemental powers just because they have a fancy shade of scales? You'd have to be a hatchling to believe that stuff."

"And besides," Kayla continued, now double checking to see if her wing brace had loosened in the slightest. "Even if the purple dragon exists... Even if they survived the temple massacre... Even if they're still alive after all this time despite being the number one target for Gaul and the Dark Master's armies... It wouldn't matter anyways because they apparently went and gave up about three years ago."

Xavier blinked, Kayla's words barely registering in his adrenaline-addled brain. Gave up? No, that didn't sound right at all. The dragon his mother had told him about during those long nights cuddled in the pitch black cellar of their house wouldn't do that. He couldn't, everyone was counting on him. _Xavier_ was counting on him. And it felt like just yesterday when his family had received the joyous news that came at the paws of the newly emerged purple dragon. Surly he wouldn't give up just months after such a stupendous victory over the Terror of the Skies?

"What do you mean gave up?" Xavier inquired, feeling himself deflate slightly. Part of him wanted to believe that this was just another outburst of Kayla's malice, looking to tear down an icon of his given the opportunity. But the more rational side of him was quick to point out that the badly injured shadow dragoness was probably not in the right mental state to dredge up with the sincerity present in her voice.

"Gave up. Gone. Vanished into thin air. Kaput. Assuming they were ever real to begin with." Kayla rattled off in rapid succession. Not having any success with the wing brace, she gave a disappointed huff and staggered to her feet once more. "Much like I'm about to be in a few minutes. Unless…." The dragoness turned, the claws in her forepaws clicking together menacingly. "Unless there's a certain spineless snake that's going to get in my way again…"

Xavier gulped and reclined back on the rock shelf next to Mourn, shielding himself from her wrath with his remaining wing. "N-no complaints here, just leave me alone. The main gate is at the far end of the hollow, you should have an unobstructed path."

"Good." The shadow dragoness turned back away from him and took the first few steps in what Xavier knew would be an arduous journey. With the long chain still attached to her iron collar, the dragoness limped past the still form of Mourn. "All things considered, an ape-lover like yourself isn't even worth the time it would take to kill you. So count yourself lucky, because if we ever cross paths again, I'll….. I'll…. damn it." Kayla paused, again clearing the blood flowing into her eyes from the gash in her forehead. "I'll gut you, or something. You get the idea."

"Y-yeah, I get it." Xavier nodded in agreement. Luckily for him, Kayla's wounds seemed severe enough that any thoughts of revenge had been put aside in favor of making the most of her head start. Xavier just wished there was something more he could do for her. But iron would be tough to corrode away and the concentration of acid required would be almost guaranteed to harm the dragoness except under the most cautious of circumstances. Assuming she would even permit him to help. So, rather than offer, he decided on a simple wistful parting of "Good luck."

But as he should have expected, the entire situation deteriorated in a matter of seconds of him catching a break. First, Kayla whipped back around as fast as her damaged body allowed, Xavier's innocuous comment rekindling a spark of furry in her crimson eyes. But before she could unleash any further attacks against him, Mourn unexpectedly jerked back to life, startling the two of them with her revival. Unfortunately for Kayla, the ape wasted little time resuming her duties, immediately lurching forward and grasping the dragoness' leash with her left arm. With a single heave, Mourn pulled Kayla back towards them, the sudden pull forcing the black dragoness to her knees. Finally, but certainly not least, there was the soft whistling and flash of silver as Xavier caught sight of an object slicing through the air where Kayla had been moments before. The projectile was gone almost as soon as he saw it, leaving them only with the sound of metal clattering against the rock wall behind them.

Kayla was the first one to recover from the turn of events. Ignorant of the near miss, she began struggling against Mourn's hold, fighting with every last bit of her resilient spirit. "Let me go you old crone! I didn't survive all of that just to be thwarted by you! You primitive, stupid-"

Kayla's rant was cut off by a new voice, the owner of which Xavier had been searching for ever since he saw the projectile. It was a cackling laugh, high pitched and grating on the ears as the three of them all turned in unison towards the origin point. At first, their searching eyes revealed only drifting piles of pale ash interspersed with newly created igneous spars. But as Xavier watched, a puff of ash flew up from behind a rotten log several dozen feet away from the group. Still giggling manically, the newcomer heaved himself over the log and landed with a spry roll before stalking towards the group.

To the casual observer, the ape approaching them would not be cause for alarm. Standing just under five feet tall at his full height, the scrawny figure appeared far less threatening than the typical ape soldier. His armor was inferior as well, being completely composed of bound leather with nary a metal plate in sight. Although Xavier had always suspected that the rows of throwing knives strapped across his chest offered a similar degree of protection. Although now marred by patches of white ash, the ape's blackened fur rendered him nothing more than a menacing blot on the horizon drawing ever closer. Combined with his relatively diminutive height, this made the ape an oddity in the clan, but one that most knew not to cross.

Xavier shuddered, drawing himself back into a little ball despite the pain it caused him. Although he was inclined to close his eyes and wait it out, Xavier knew he had to pay close attention lest he become the ape's next target. Why was it that every single time things were going well, something even worse happened right after? Out of the entirety of Viper's Fang, why did it have to be Captain Frenzy that stumbled across them first?

"Mourn, you dusty wrench, you made me miss!" Frenzy cackled, drawing two more knives from his bandolier as he came to a halt a dozen feet away from the rock shelf. Taking a knife in each paw, the captain gave both a casual flip, the silver blades sparkling in the scant rays of sunlight just now filtering through the pillars of smoke. Catching the small daggers by the blades, Frenzy immediately drew his left arm back, squinting his wildly dancing eyes onto the stunned form of Kayla. Xavier opened his mouth to shout a warning, but the dragoness was ready. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, the captain pitched his arm downwards, sending another hypnotically twirling blade through the air towards her. Diving backwards, Kayla pulled the leash tight once more as the throwing knife uselessly rebounded off the rocks. All while the simian captain let out another shriek of laughter at her resistance.

As Xavier watched helplessly from the sidelines, Kayla fixed Mourn with a penetrating stare. "Unless you want to see me skewered by this lunatic, let...me...go!" She finished, again straining with all her might even as Mourn coiled the chain around her left arm in response. With a roar of fury, Kayla switched tactics and charged the ape matron, only to be stopped by Mourn's boot. Blinded by blood and fury, Kayla tore at the primate's leg with her forepaws, shredding the fabric of the trousers within seconds. Mourn hissed through her teeth as Kayla broke skin, causing the dragoness to let loose another tirade. "So this is the bloody thanks I get for saving your miserable life! I should have let you burn, I should have left all of you stinking apes to burn! I should-"

"Now what is that I hear?" Xavier's head jerked back away from the squabble to see Frenzy watching the conflict with mild interest, idly playing with the throwing knife still held in his right hand. The fight between Kayla and Mourn slowed as the black furred ape broke out into a half grin that held no merriment. "Does frail old Mourn have two little dragon helpers watching over her like a pair of angels? Now **that** -" Frenzy bared his teeth and flicked the knife into throwing position. "...that is funny."

Mourn gave a noticeable gulp, and Xavier felt a shiver run down his spine. When it came to Frenzy, silence was much more ominous than laughter. If the ape's rapidly darting eyes were any indication, he was deeply torn between having an excuse to properly hurt Mourn and properly subduing his new draconic playthings.

Kayla seemed to be willing to see how the situation play out, but Xavier cautiously rose to his feet. Earlier, it had been in the heat of the moment when he decided to save Mourn, but now he had a precious few moments to weigh his options. On one hand, he owed Mourn nothing and an in-fight could provide the chance for the dragons to escape. But if Frenzy had already found them, the rest of the clan couldn't be far behind. And having the local dragon handler twice indebted to them might prove useful. Despite the cries of ape-lover sure to follow from Kayla, Xavier took in one last nervous gulp before opening his mouth. "Actually Captain, Mour-"

"Vox!" His consternation apparently forgotten, Frenzy perked up and immediately let the throwing knife fly. Xavier could barely register the weapon's flight before it traversed the distance between them. He let out a grunt as the knife struck true, the hilt solidly bouncing off of one of his horns in a move that jerked his head back from the impact. Blood pounded aggressively in his ears as the blow only served to worsen his growing headache. Closing his eyes and forcing himself to remain standing, Xavier drew in deep breaths as the footsteps of the captain drew closer and closer until they stopped right before him. A burly arm was thrown around the poison dragon's neck and Xavier was immediately drawn into an unwilling embrace with the ape, their heads being at approximately the same height. Wrinkling his nose at the smell of the ape's sweat drenched fur, Xavier reluctantly opened his eyes to see the captain's face centimeters away from his own.

"Oh I'm so glad you're alive Vox." Frenzy chuckled, relishing in the sight of the dragon grimacing at the contact. "The whole world was falling apart and I thought to myself, _Gee, I sure hope that green whelp makes it out of this_. And here you are! A little worse for wear, but still kicking. Still breathing. Still alive..."

With the dull rasp of metal, the ape drew another knife with his free hand. The hilt dangling loosely from his fingers, the primate drew the blade closer until it pricked against Xavier's exposed chest. Slowly turning the metal so that it twirled against the poison dragon's scales, the ape captain jerked his head over to the females. "So, before we get down to business, would you mind clearing something up for me real quick? You and Black Wing weren't actually idiotic enough to save the life of one your captors, right? I mean," the ape paused to let out another short bark of laughter, "that would be just ridiculous. Unless she promised you some kind of favor in return..."

The knife slipped slightly, gliding across the dragon's chest scales until it came to rest in a thin cut Xavier had sustained at some point. Fresh trickles of blood ran freely down Xavier's scales, although the pain was almost unnoticeable compared to the dragon's other injuries. Forcing himself to remain collected, Xavier choose his next words carefully. "No. If anything, it was the other way around with Mourn shepherding us over to here. Not that there wasn't really anywhere else to go at the time."

Frenzy let out a contemplative hum, removing the bloodied knife to tap it thoughtfully against his chin. With the captain momentarily distracted, Xavier risked a glance over to his companions. Mourn had slowly risen to her feet, right arm dangling uselessly at her side. She glanced around their surroundings for the first time since waking, as it finally dawned on her that they were too far away from their previous location up on the walkways to have landed here. The ape moved her gaze down to him, and Xavier felt the ape's milky white eye boring into him despite having been rendered blind years ago. He was sure they both knew what he was attempting to do, and the possible compensation Xavier might try to wring out of her when they were next alone. But despite all that, the dragon could still barely make out the faint expression of surprise and gratuity that flickered across the jailer's face at his proclamation.

Reluctantly, he shifted his gaze down to Kayla, expected the fury of a thousand suns for siding with an ape yet again. But instead, the dragoness seemed unusually reserved, switching her gaze back and forth between him and Mourn as if trying to fit the final few puzzle pieces together. Noticing his eyes resting upon her, she didn't lash out or bare her teeth as he expected. Instead, the dragoness only tilted her head in an unspoken question, straining her wing against the brace in an attempt to surreptitiously point towards the ape standing beside her. Unable to convey any other reply due to Frenzy's embrace, Xavier fluttered an eyelid in what he hoped was a convincing wink. If she just played along with him for once, they stood to gain an important ally.

At long last, Frenzy gave a disappointed grunt and released Xavier. "Alright, I suppose the old hag deserves some congratulations. But moving on from that..." The captain stalked forward towards Mourn, the knife twirling excitedly around his fingers and he grinned down at Kayla. The dragoness wisely shirked away from his leering gaze, positioning herself so that Mourn remained between them. Though that did little to quell the manic grin slowly dawning across Frenzy's face. Holding his free hand out before him, the simian beckoned her closer even as he began to edge around the statuesque Mourn. "Come here...come here little dragoness. I just want to see if your scales are any thicker than Voxus'..."

Regarding the ape with a newfound sense of dread, Kayla lowered herself into a defensive stance, her hook-like tail blade flashing out a warning as it swayed behind her. But to everyone's shock, Mourn took a deliberate sidestep, once more shielding Kayla from the diminutive captain. As Frenzy's expression soured, Mourn held up her good arm, the chain clinking and rattling as she did so. "I'll have to stop you there, Captain. They're both injured enough already, they don't need you carving out any more slices. I'm almost surprised neither of them have fainted from blood loss yet, but I suppose they are dragons."

For a split second, Xavier could have sworn Frenzy was going to snap at her, but the captain choose instead to back off, letting loose another hyena's cackle. "Oh come on Mourn, I'm not asking for much. Just one cut, just one. She won't even feel it in a few minutes, I'll even make it nice and shallow. Just for you!" The ape matron didn't budge, although an aura of disgust slowly contaminated the air around her. Despite being someone who regularly took direct orders from the War Chief himself, it was no secret that the older female held most of the clan's high command in low regard. And Frenzy was without a doubt the easiest to outright despise, even from an ape's point of view.

"Captain Frenzy. Enough." The new voice caught Xavier by surprise, even though he should have been expected this particular speaker to be close on Frenzy's heels. Pushing through the glade parallel to the rock wall were a dozen or so apes, most of them heaving large barrels of water or other supplies to deal with any lingering fires. At their head was none other than Rakk, the War Chief casting a dispassionate gaze toward the motley group. Xavier had half expected to see the War Chief's shoulder dropping in defeat at the calamity that had befallen the hollow. But instead, the Warlord seemed as calm and collected as ever, almost as though he was not terribly surprised about what happened. Did he know something about more about these strange events?

Frenzy immediately snapped to attention, hurriedly cleaning the blade of his knife off least Xavier's blood invoke the commander's ire. "But sir," he protested, gesturing towards the still defensive Kayla. "My life just flashed before my eyes a few minutes ago and I was just filled with so many regrets. Just one, that's all I dare ask for. Sir-"

"Frenzy." Rakk spoke again, coming to halt before the rock shelf. The two held eye contact for a further second before the smaller captain bowed his head in submission. Sheathing his knife into one of the empty holsters, the simian stomped silently past Mourn and Kayla without a second glance. Although the smile still tugging at his lips suggested that the War Chief's command had hardly settled the matter. Even as the captain wandered away to locate his thrown knives, the remainder of the ape party encircled the group. With a brief gesture from the Warlord, most of the apes dispersed, lugging their firefighting equipment further into the hollow. Now, only Rakk and a couple of lackeys setting down a plain wooden barrel remained.

Rakk took in the three of them with an even gaze, noting Kayla's defiance with a dry smirk. The War Chief's eyes finally came to a rest on Mourn, who still firmly held Kayla's chain even as she swayed on her feet. After a pregnant pause, Rakk finally relaxed his scarred face into a broad grin. Clapping his armored hands together, the ape inclined his head towards the ape matriarch. "Well done Mourn, well done indeed. Not only surviving the impossible, but keeping both of my pets in line as well. It's bravery I didn't quite expect from you, if I'm being honest."

"Pets!? I'm not-"

"Of course sir." Mourn replied, giving Kayla's leash a sharp tug to silence the dragoness before she could launch a retort against the ape leader. Meeting Kayla's incredulous stare as she turned to him, Xavier motioned for her to settle down. The last thing they needed right now was to enrage Rakk, there was no telling how close the near destruction of the hollow may have already pushed him to the edge. Although once again, Xavier couldn't help but feel that something was up, not even the famously shrewd logician of the clan was this good at suppressing his emotions.

"We'll discuss this more at a later date, in which I hope you have an accurate account of what happened. As well as the reason why you were the only guard to remain with our newest charge." Rakk spoke again, his tone now carrying the slightest hint of a threat. Xavier suspected that all the apes that fled the prison at the first sign of trouble would quickly come to regret their decision. The clan was too small for Rakk to follow through with any punishments of death or permanent injury, but there were other ways to make those accused suffer.

"But for now," Rakk continued, motioning for some of his remaining troops to step forward. "Go get some medical attention, we have a triage set up near the main gate. That arm of yours looks dislocated and possibly broken, so get it looked at immediately. I need my best dragon custodian back on duty again at the soonest convenience." The soldiers that stepped forward gently took the chain from Mourn's paw, immediately pulling it taut much to Kayla's silent fury. Mourn merely nodded, muttering a quick pledge of thanks to Rakk. Gingerly cradling her right shoulder with her good arm, the ape cast one last look back at the two dragons before hobbling off down the hollow until she was lost to sight.

Even as he watched Mourn go, the sound of footsteps emanating from behind him reminded Xavier of their current predicament. Craning his neck sideways, the emerald dragon noticed Frenzy taking up position behind them, impassively crossing his arms across his newly replenished bandolier of knives. With a formal clearing of the throat, Xavier turned back to the front to see Rakk beckoning both of them forward. With the tapping of Frenzy's boots sounding off the stone behind him, Xavier gently limped down off the shelf. But any shadow of dignity was instantly lost as he bumped his shattered leg against the stone, the tsunami of pain making Xavier's vision waiver and a pathetic cry of pain to tear from his lips. And then, nothing but darkness.

Awakening with a start, the alchemist found himself lying on the forest floor, a lung-full of ash already clogging his lungs. Pushing himself up with his forelegs, Xavier beheld the colossal form of Rakk encompassing the entirety of his vision. He must have passed out for only a minute, but that was more than enough time for the apes to crowd around him, each of them peering down at him with oddly concerned expressions. Beside him, Kayla was also shooting Xavier sidelong glances, her crimson eyes betraying what he thought might be the smallest spark genuine worry for his safety. Or maybe it was just the envy of him being in a degree of pain that she didn't have the opportunity to cause.

With deliberate steps just inches from his prone form, Rakk moved aside to allow two apes bearing a plain wooden barrel between them. Setting the barrel down before the two dragons, the apes unceremoniously tipped it over, spilling the contents out onto the forest floor. A flood of sparkling rubies poured out before him, the individual fist-sized shards all clinking together like an ocean of glass. Blinking in astonishment, Xavier leaned forward a little further, scarcely believing his eyes. Were those actual red healing crystals? Rakk had a supply of these just gathering dust all these years?

"Let it never be said that I do not extend the occasional kindness to those beneath me." The Warlord's melodic voice danced in and out of Xavier's ear as the two dragons sat dumbfounded at the unexpected gift. But despite the urgent need to soothe his wounds, Xavier hesitated, the tiniest nub of doubt still echoing in the dark recesses of his mind. Although this certainly ranked as some of the worst injuries he had sustained under the Viper Fang's care, there had been a plentiful amount of previous cases where the wounds he gained necessitated the type of healing only the gems could deliver.

Noticing the dragons' uncertainty, Rakk let out a good natured chuckle. "They're real, I've been collecting them from any native outcroppings that showed up over the years. If either of you took the chance to think about it, I wouldn't really benefit from either of you taking lasting damage from today's events." Despite his soothing words, neither Kayla or Xavier sprang forward at the opportunity presented to them. Growing impatient, the War Chief stuck out with a boot at the pile, sending a few of the gems skidding over to Xavier's paws. "Voxus, Black Wing, just get on with it already, I know you both want to. Although I must confess I'm rather curious to see the process up close myself."

Exchanging the briefest of glances with the restrained shadow dragoness, Xavier carefully wrapped his talons around one of the offered gems. As soon as he did so, a sudden warmth flooded through his forearm, bringing with it a sudden sense of ease. There could be no doubt, this was the genuine article. Tightening his grip, Xavier effortlessly broke the gem into infinitesimal shards. Each piece glittered in the air for a split second before morphing to a tiny ball of scarlet energy that arched back towards his scales. Bouncing along his forearm, each of the orbs honed on his nearest injuries, where they merged into him with a soothing glow. As the light faded, scratches were smoothed over, new scales forming to cover the gaps, and bruises ceased to exist. All around him, the alchemist heard many of the apes murmuring jealousy, reflecting on the fact that the same methods would not work on them. Despite having only healed a small fraction of the ailments afflicting him, Xavier let out a sigh of relief. He had almost forgotten how using the gems felt, the sensation of pain simply vanishing into thin air as his body repaired himself. Provided he ensured the bones were set right, his leg would be repaired in a matter of seconds, along with his cracked ribs and throbbing headache. With the help of Rakk's _generosity_ , both dragons would be back on their feet in no time.

Or at least Kayla would be. As soon as the final glint of energy dipped into Xavier's scales, the shadow dragoness leaped forward, drawing cries of alarm from her handlers. Crashing into the middle of the pile, a swarm of energy swirled around her and targeted every solitary spot of trauma inflicted upon her. Evidently not satisfied with the rate of healing, Kayla dipped down low, practically burying her face in the file as she frantically shifted through and smashed even more gems. Rakk permitted the maelstrom to continue for a few more seconds before motioning to the dragon handlers. Nodding in acknowledgment, the soldiers tighten their hold and pulled, dragging the dragoness back out of the pile. Kayla, now fully restored to full health, fought back, struggling the wrap her claws around any remaining crystals that she could.

"Hey! That's enough wretch!" One of the guards shouted, delivering a brutal kick that sent some of Kayla's gems flinging off into the sullen woods. Despite drawing blood, any harm was almost immediately negated as the black dragoness quickly crushed the few remaining gems held in her other paw. Placing the boot squarely on the dragoness' back, the particularly sadistic guard pinned her against the ground. Eliciting a set of quiet giggles from Frenzy, the ape smirked down at her. "You still need to learn your place. shadow. You belong to Rakk now, so don't think you can take advantage of his kindness."

Kayla twisted around to glare at her abuser, her eyes quickly memorizing his face. But to Xavier's surprise, she didn't offer any outward resistance, not even one of her usual quips. Staying tight lipped and passive, the dragoness patiently waited until her guard got down from his power trip and released her. Without even so much as baring her teeth, Kayla rose to a dignified sitting position and settled for giving everyone around her a scathing glare.

Tearing himself away from the spectacle, Xavier finally reached forward to gather more crystals for himself. Unlike his companion, Xavier was methodical and scrupulous, individually selecting the size and quantity of gems needed for whichever injury he was currently tending to. Although he could tell it was stretching the ape's patience towards the end, it still gave him a certain amount of satisfaction. Although the gems would most assuredly be tucked back into whichever forgotten corner Rakk had buried them, he was ensuring that they were able to maximize their future potential. At least whenever the War Lord decided to show mercy yet again. Xavier couldn't help but frown at the thought of just how many Kayla had wasted in her careless scramble. But maybe he wasn't exactly in any position to judge, seeing as he had inflicted some of her lacerations himself.

Testing his now whole hind leg once again, Xavier wobbled to his feet and stepped back from the now drastically diminished supply. He still looked terrible, coated as he was in a mixture of smudgy charcoal and rivulets of his own blood. An intense weariness continued to pervade through him, as the healing did little to replenish lost blood or restore his stamina. But the poison dragon would need to absorb some green gems to replenish those attributes, and he doubted Rakk's supposed altruism would extend that far. So he contented himself with taking in measured breaths as he struggled to not let his exhaustion show.

As some subordinates began adding the spilled magic crystals back to the barrel, Rakk stepped back into the dragon's field of vision. "That was certainly... fascinating." The tyrant pondered, contemplatively stroking his chin as his beady eyes bored into him from under his traditional hood. "How is it exactly that you dragons are born with so many wondrous advantages, and yet you still fall to our blades?" Xavier silently gritted his teeth, knowing that was no answer he could give that wouldn't invite another round of abuse. Likewise, Kayla also refused to rise to the bait, although the way her claws ferociously kneaded at the ground betrayed her inner thoughts.

"But great things are in motion now young ones, the wheels of the world are grinding forward once more. We cannot afford to be caught under them." Rakk suddenly thundered, drawing all eyes upon him as he addressed the entire entourage. "Voxus," the War Chief snapped, leveling a finger just inches from Xavier's muzzle. "Make your way to the triage at the main gate. There are others in need of your services. I have already ensured that all your necessary supplies were delivered there."

Xavier bowed his head, acknowledging his master's commands. Already, the dragon had little difficulty imagining the stench of congealing blood and burnt fur that awaited him. Setting off at a lethargic pace, Xavier cocked his head to catch Rakk's next order to the assembled troops. "Captain Frenzy!"

"Yes Sir?"

"Take some men and find secure lodging for Black Wing. Make sure it's somewhere that has a good anchor to tie her to. And Frenzy..." Despite not seeing it, Xavier could sense the intense glower the ape commander leveled at the diminutive captain. "There had better not be any fresh wounds upon her when next I check in. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"...Yes sir." The much deflated reply came forth as Xavier wandered out of earshot. At least Kayla would be safe for now, provided there were no more poorly thought out escape attempts. Frenzy may be a sadist, but he was a sadist with a firm respect for the authority above him.

Xavier paused, a new thought intruding upon his troubled mind. Why was he so worried about Kayla's health in the first place? He had more than enough on his plate already, the only thing the dragoness was doing was consistently bringing him closer and closer to breaking the fragile trust he had built up in the clan. Not to mention that she now knew he was an actual saboteur, and not the complacent pet the apes thought him. All it would take was a sidelong comment to Frenzy and Xavier would be done for. Could he trust that she wouldn't take the opportunity to lash out at him any way she could?

Then again, maybe she wouldn't. There had been something back there, when he had chosen to defend Mourn yet again. She didn't seem angry, instead it almost looked like she was trying to figure out just what he was hoping to achieve. It was blatantly apparent that they could both benefit immensely from cooperating, and it might be the only way to finally beat Rakk at his own game.

Deep down, Xavier knew why he felt so determined to help the dragoness. Part of was a selfish desire to escape himself, but there was another reason in there too. Jealousy. Last night, when Kayla had first stumbled upon him, she hadn't even thought twice about dragging him along. Sure, she had dug in the odd complaint about it, but leaving him behind had never been on the table. It had been almost reflexive, while he was still here weighing the pros and cons of any similar actions on his part. Neither of them were really heroes, certainly not like the purple dragon must be. But out of the two of them, Xavier realized that Kayla was much closer to that bastion of virtue than he had ever been. Why couldn't he be more like her?

The remainder of the day flew by in a blur of artificial stimulants and whimpering cries of the injured. Aided by the already beleaguered clan doctors, Xavier tended to the impressive amount of wounds sustained by a majority of the apes. Burns were some of the most common, and were easiest to treat. It usually involved applying copious amounts of cool water and sterilized bandages as well as educating the victim in what to do to ensure full recovery. But despite being the easiest, those patients were some of the worst to deal with, as Xavier could do little to alleviate the pain apart from inducing them into a drugged sleep.

Broken bones were next most common, many of which Xavier gathered had been incurred during the initial stamped to escape. He half expected Mourn to show up as his next patient, but it appeared as though she had already received priority treatment and cleared out. Perhaps that was for the best, the last thing he needed was for another needy patient to accuse him of showing preferential treatment.

Despite the countless hours of toil, Xavier had to admit that it was still one of the more pleasant instances of interacting with his fellow Viper's Fang members. The amount of abuse hurled at him dropped drastically, most of the primates miraculously remembering their basic manners in his presence. For the briefest of seconds, Xavier could almost fool himself into thinking that he was genuinely valued by those around him. But then there would be some instance of an ape not being content with the quality of treatment shown. Without fail, it would always knock Xavier back into the moment and he would again be regaled as the outsider, the one who was intruding upon the ape's domain. Just another tool to be cast aside as soon as the present crisis passed.

The sun was setting behind the smoky horizon when Xavier finally hauled himself back up on the lower walkways. Stepping off onto the catwalk, he grimaced as his arms burned from the effort of using the pulley system to cart the elevator up into the heart of Blood Hollow. Allowing the lift to slowly descend under its own weight, Xavier lumbered off into the tree network, his tail dragging limply behind him. Minutes later, he arrived at his mercifully untouched redwood. Squinting through the twilight, Xavier felt his stomach drop as he noticed a couple of apes camped just outside on the walkways, their crossbows loaded, but uncocked. Of course, Frenzy just had to settle on his tiny little abode for Kayla's new prison, it's not like Xavier was looking forward to a peaceful night's sleep or anything.

Most of the apes were simple warriors, clustered around a makeshift fire carefully contained with a crude metal enclosure. The one exception was a solitary soul seated directly beside the hut's doorway, her right arm securely restrained by a mixture of hides and leather. In the ape's left hand, Xavier spotted a short rectangle of solid wood, the pale white matter being carefully analyzed by the simian's stare. Looking up as he approached, Xavier was entirely unsurprised to see Mourn staring back at him, giving a slight grunt as she took in his haggard form. "Well, I was starting to wonder how long they were going to keep you for. No rest for the weary, especially the chief alchemist."

"So she's in there now I guess?" Xavier asked, tentatively pausing on the threshold. Nothing from the darkened interior gave any indication of his new roommate, but considering her scale colors, that wasn't too surprising.

"If I'm doing my job correctly, then yes." Mourn replied, returning her focus to the block of wood. "Your hut's the only thing that still resembles a jail, so there wasn't much in the way of alternatives. Not that she would have been placed anywhere else once Frenzy heard about the... history between you two."

"And I guess it's too much to hope for that I finally got upgraded to somewhere else?" Xavier groaned, only to receive a short shake of the head in response. Sighing loudly, he reached up to rub one of his temples with a forepaw. No point in postponing this, Xavier needed to find a place to sleep sooner rather than later. Taking a cautious step forward, Xavier faltered, shooting another glance over to the female ape. "Hey, uh, shouldn't you be accompanying me? To make sure I don't die, or... make any plans to-"

Mourn cut him off with a wave of her paw, shooting a quick glance over to the soldiers just a little ways away. When none of them bothered to react to any of the pair's conversation, the ape leaned in close and affixed him with a pensive gaze. "...There are a lot of things I should be doing cub. Including sleeping. So whatever you do, make sure you keep things quiet. Now get on in there, I need to figure out how to get back to carving while my arm's like this." And with that, the primate returned her attention to the block of pine she held, leaving Xavier to digest the hidden meaning behind Mourn's words. He knew she would still try to stop them if she spotted them attempting to break out, but this bending of her orders was a startling development. It appeared as though his decision to save her was already paying dividends, and it was something he had to be careful not to spoil. With no further excuse to prolong the inevitable, he stepped through the doorway and into the alchemist's hut.

Moving his way through the cluttered space by memory, Xavier found hinged bars separated his former cell from the rest of the storeroom unlocked, and they glided open with a croaky groan. It had been over a year since anyone had bothered locking the iron barred door, and given that it wouldn't pose any obstacle to the imprisoned shadow dragoness should she free herself, Xavier wasn't shocked by the omission in security. The empty rattle of the chain sounded out when Xavier stumbled over it as he swung the door back shut. Squinting in the dull light, he saw the chain securely attached to one of the stationary iron bars, while the other end meandered back into the far corner of the cell.

Sure enough, there she was, just a bleak blot huddled against the opposite wall. With no trace of color visible to him, he could only assume that Kayla was facing away from him, something which was confirmed a moment later as he saw her wings spread slightly as her shoulders heaved in rhythmically. Wait a second, was she... was Kayla… crying?

Unsure of what to make of this unexpected development, Xavier stepped forward to come to a halt just a few feet away from the dragoness. She didn't turn or otherwise acknowledge his presence, completely enwrapped in her own little world. Should he comfort her? Would she even let him? Cautiously, the dragon reached out a tentative forepaw towards her, his long talons quivering nervously. But just before he made contact, Xavier caught whiff of a rank stench permeating the air, even as Kayla's convulsions grew worse and a soft splattering sound echoed around the cramped room.

Quickly backing away, Xavier watched as Kayla rose to a low crouch, still heaving as liquid dripped from her open maw. She was still sick, that actually made a lot more sense. There was a flash of white as Kayla caught sight of him for the first time, although she made no move to menace him. Awkwardly hovering a few feet away, Xavier gave a tiny wave with his still outstretched paw. "So... um... Would you be interested in something to settle your stomach? I should have it right over-"

Xavier was interrupted as Kayla gave another sudden retch, doubling over as her cheeks swelled. Just as the alchemist started to worry that she was about to lose it, Kayla seemed to regain control, gulping back down the stew of unpleasantness looking to make an escape. Still holding her head low, the dragoness parted her lips and spat something out onto the floor, the object bouncing away with a solid thunk.

His curiosity aroused, Xavier crept closer, scrutinizing the small object lying in a pile of bile. He was only just able to notice the sparkling ruby glow it emitted before Kayla swept it away, sending it spinning into her corner. A corner that Xavier could now see held several other similarly sized entities. The realization dawned on him even as the black dragoness pulled a partially filled bucket of water closer to her. "You swallowed the red gems!?"

"Mum-hum." The sly dragoness grunted, eagerly dipping her snout into the water. Swirling the liquid around her mouth, she spat it back onto the already sodden wooden floor of the hut. Still panting, Kayla finally switched her full attention to him, allowing herself a rueful grin. "You've got to use whatever you have at your disposal, no matter how much of a pain in the ass it might be latter on."

"But that doesn't seem, well, sanitary." Xavier gulped as Kayla rose back to her full height. "Not to mention if any of them happened to tear a hole in your stomach. Internal injuries aren't something to scoff at."

"Oh boo hoo, what's the worst that could happen? It's not the like the cuts would almost immediately be mended again. Oh wait, they would." Kayla sneered. Thankfully, her trenchant sarcasm seemed to be the only horror she was in the mood to subject him to. Turning away, the dragoness tended to her stash. "And now, unlike you, I have a little trove in case that knife-obsessed dwarf goes nuts. Not bad for someone that just started playing this little game of yours, eh?"

Xavier opened his mouth, but no reply came to mind. Despite being rather repulsive, he could hardly argue with the results of Kayla's ploy. Not to mention that it was an example of rebellion that came without the degradation of cooperation. How was it she was already better at this than him, shouldn't he have figured out a way to squirrel away some of the precious gems? Xavier had remained exactly where he had began, while Kayla was already making strides to improve her position. Maybe he had grown too complacent after all these years.

"Now," swinging back around, the thief gave Xavier her unbridled attention. Her lips slid back to expose her rows of razor sharp teeth, not a single trace of warmth lingering in that smile. Hurriedly backing away to the cell door, the poison dragon felt the cool iron press against his tail as the Kayla stalked forward like a cat playing with its prey. Shooting a paw out, she gripped him by the shoulder and drew him close. "Let's have a little chat, shall we?"


	7. Fragile Alliance

**Chapter 7 – Fragile Alliance**

"Let's have a little chat, shall we?" Even as the words left her mouth, Kayla felt the dragon before her give a nervous shudder. She pulled her lips back to expose her fangs, relishing in his fear. The more terrified he was of her, the less likely there would be a repeat of the previous night. And now that they shared the same sleeping quarters, there was absolutely nothing stopping her from making the traitor's life absolute hell.

Well, except for the one tiny little issue of using him to secure her own freedom. In the hours spent languishing in the alchemist's newly refurbished cell, Kayla had plenty of time to ponder her situation. It wasn't like there was much else to do other than sit still and wince as the various red gems prodded at the interior of her stomach. The crux of the matter was that she had thus far underestimated the apes. Without a dragon leading them, she thought she would only ever encounter the typical _too-dumb-to-breath_ numbskull. But Rakk and the captains were certainly no intellectual slackers and they seemed to have an aggravating knack for countering her at every turn. That was something that she would have to change, she was not going to be outsmarted by a bunch of filthy primates.

Which is why Kayla was currently not making good on her previous threats to rip the flightless snake in front of her to shreds. Besides, he may even be on board with wreaking havoc throughout the ape village despite her initial impression of him. As much as she wished she could doubt the proclamations he made on the rock shelf, Xavier was quite correct in there having been no further reason to deceive her. And if he had lasted this long without a psycho like Captain Frenzy slicing him up into little dragon bits, he might just know a way to get the better of the Viper's Tail clan. Or was it Cobra's Fang? Did she even give a shit what they were called?

Remembering to keep her voice just below a whisper, Kayla tightened her grip on the dragon's shoulder. "Alright, now you listen to me. You're going to get me out of these chains, and tell me exactly how to beat these apes. And in exchange, I won't rip out your intestines and hang you from the nearest tree with them. Got it?"

The poison dragon gave a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure they were truly alone before giving a short nod. "G-Got it, yeah, seems fair to me."

Letting out a satisfied grunt, the shadow dragoness released her hold on him. Reaching down to the floor, she scooped up a length of chain and held it before his eyes, rattling the metal together as she gently shook it. "Good. Now, can you or can't you melt through this blasted chain with some acid?"

"Well you see..." The dragon cut himself off, wilting under her withering stare. It took Kayla a few seconds to understand why the dragon was curling down into as small a ball as possible. Did she really strike him as that threatening at the moment? She was just trying to get a straight answer for once. Kayla didn't like the dragon one bit, that much was true, but the shadow dragoness wasn't a monster. Assuming he didn't literally stab her in the back again, she had to grudgingly admit that she couldn't bring herself to really hurt him. Certainly not after seeing just what type of conditions he'd been forced to survive under. The shadow dragoness was better than that, she was better than _her_. With a sigh, Kayla relented slightly, taking a step back to reassure the other dragon. As the old saying went, you always caught more flies with honey than vinegar. Or flightless flies in this instance, if she was being meticulous.

Sensing her relent, Xavier cautiously sat up and briefly met her eyes. "I can, but you're not going to like the full answer." Setting the chain back on the floor, Kayla furrowed her brow and started pacing back and forth across the confined space. Taking her silence as a sign to continue, the emerald dragon softly cleared his throat and held up a paw with three talons outstretched. "Three major issues. First, as you can probably predict, that chain is treated with a certain type of finish that makes it both acid and rust resistant. It's a process that the apes were practicing since long before they captured me, so you can't blame this one on me. Don't get me wrong, I can still corrode it, but it'll be trickier than if it was just run-of-the-mill iron."

"Second," he went on, ticking off another claw even as Kayla ran a paw over the chain at her neck, her expression pensive. Now that he mentioned it, she could feel a certain slick sheen on the metal. "To get to the required potency, the acid either needs to take a proportional amount of my elemental power, or be concentrated using potion making techniques. The latter option has a high probability of being discovered by the apes, and the clan works me too hard for me to just create it on the spot. I haven't had a full elemental tank in years."

Kayla allowed herself an exaggerated eye roll. "You're watched every waking moment and you're a pathetic weakling. Tell me something I don't know for once."

Xavier stopped himself, closing his eyes and letting out a resigned sigh. After taking a moment to regain his composure, he finished up his impromptu presentation. "In that case, you're really not going to like my last reason. I don't like working with acids. Call it a personal issue or whatever, but it's my least favorite use of my element. If it comes down to do or die, I'll push through it, but it still means I'm pretty rusty when it comes to making them. It'll take a while to find the right formula and concentration."

The black dragoness stopped pacing, tapping a single claw against the wooden floor. This had been the answer she had more or less anticipated, and Xavier had brought up valid concerns. For the most part at least, she couldn't comprehend why something as simple as "I don't like it" would be enough of an issue to deprive him of arguably one of his most usual abilities. Besides, even if there were no obstacles to melting the chain, she knew better than to attempt an escape again so soon. She needed to bide her time, lull the apes into a false sense of security, and come up with an actual plan if this was going to work.

"Perhaps I should have rephrased my question." She said at last, turning to face the emerald dragon once more. " _Will_ you break this chain? And I suggest you think carefully about your answer."

"Of course." He answered immediately, earning him another suspicious squint from Kayla. "I know you don't trust me, but I really am on your side. You can count on me."

Several seconds passed before the words he spoke registered in his brain, eliciting a groan and causing him to reach up to gently pinch the bridge of his nose. "...Despite that sounding like the exact thing a traitor trying to win your trust would say, I mean it. You can keep using threats though, if that makes you feel more in control. I'm used to it." Perhaps realizing he was only digging himself into an even deeper hole, the poison dragon just waved a paw in the incredulous dragoness' direction. "You know what, forget everything I just said. I'll still do it, that's all I wanted to say. But not tonight, I'm still drained from the whole apocalypse-destroying-half-of-the-village incident."

"On that much we can at least agree." Kayla nodded, choosing to glance over the other dragon's fumbling of words. "I can't say I'm up for much else either, all things considered. The apes will be expecting something tonight anyways. But starting tomorrow, I expect some progress out of you. Got it?" Clamping his mouth shut, Xavier eagerly nodded, his shoulders dropping in relief as the tension left his body. As silence filled the room once again, the weight of the day's ordeals settled back down on the pair of dragons.

Even though Kayla hadn't been running about as an ape doctor for the better part of the day, the urge to collapse had been steadily growing over the past few hours. If it hadn't been for the necessity of getting the gems out of her system the moment she finally got some privacy, she would have fallen asleep the second she stepped into the room. Even the enormous din created by the pair of workers hammering a set of metal bars in place over the window would have been naught but a gentle lullaby to her. Who knew just how exhausting the end of the world could be?

But before she could indulge herself, there was still one other thing to address. Pushing daydreams of sleep from her mind, the shadow dragoness moved on to the next item on her agenda. "Alright, moving on, do you have a good place to stash these gems where the apes won't find them? Some nook or cranny, or maybe an elaborate trap door leading to a secret horde?" Kayla nettled, smirking at the absurd mental image of the poison dragon dangling out the fictitious trap door suspended high in the air.

The alchemist paused, his mace-like tail giving a quiver as a suitable location came to mind. This was momentarily followed by a grimace as his eyes settled on the still slimy pile of red gems. "I think so...as long as you rinse those off first..."

Kayla snorted. "Oh come on, you're a sissy too? It's just a bit of vomit, you'll be fine. Weren't you just elbow deep in an ape's guts while you were off playing doctor?"

"No injuries that bad, but yes, I was _elbow deep_ for all intents and purposes. And look," Xavier held one of his forepaws up in the light of the dying twilight, showing it off to his fellow prisoner. Unsure of what she was supposed to be noticing, Kayla settled for darting her crimson eyes back and forth from his pointed stare to the still outstretched paw. "I'm all clean, from all the blood and other unpleasant stuff." Xavier finally elaborated with a huff. "And not wanting to basically stick my paw down your throat does not make me a sissy."

Kayla stuck her tongue out. "Ugh, now you're making it gross. I did not need that mental image."

" **I'm** making it gross? What about-"

Noticing movement from over the other dragon's shoulder, Kayla sprang forward and clamped Xavier's jaw shut. He struggled against her for the span of a few seconds before noticing that her attention was acutely focused behind him. Standing in the doorway was a single ape, just a common foot soldier roused by their raised voices. Kayla met his gaze unflinchingly, never wavering or backing down. The only movement she made was a slow sidestep to the left, hoping to block the red gems from the simian's line of sight. At long last, the ape grunted and jerked his head towards the two dragons. "Shaddup already, ya scalies. Dis' here job is bad enough without 'earing either of you babble about."

With the faint creak of wood, the grizzled shape of Mourn's head bent around the door frame to peer in as well. "Keep it quiet, or I'll allow the good Sergeant to make sure you both have a long sleep." Still not breaking her gaze with the sergeant, Kayla inclined her head in a single nod, while Xavier remained stock still besides her. Apparently satisfied, Mourn's outline vanished back behind the door frame while the sergeant remained exactly where he was. Despite feeling her eyes beginning to sting from the lack of blinking, Kayla refused to budge, although she did release Xavier's snout once he gave her a light tap on the foreleg. The sergeant finally looked away as Kayla distantly picked up some garbled spoken words as Mourn addressed him directly from her chair just beyond the door. With a final scowl, the primate turned to leave, shooting the shadow dragoness a reproachful look in regards to the small smile she allowed to spread across her face.

Although any impression of dominance was lost the second the ape vanished from sight, with the thief desperately blinking and rubbing her eyes to ease the stinging pain. Grumbling under her breath, Kayla turned back around and made her way to the far corner of the cell where her pile of hard-earned supplies still sat. "I'll rinse off the stupid gems, just do whatever you need to do to hide them."

Xavier didn't reply, only leaving her with the sounds of the creaking cell door followed by him rummaging around in some of the barrels and crates filling the rest of the cramped space. Ignoring the now familiar stench the regurgitated gems gave off, the shadow dragoness set about cleaning them the best that she could. Making sure to tip a thin stream out of the bucket as to not contaminate their only source of water, Kayla did her best to polish the gems up to what she guessed was the other dragon's standard of cleanliness. Honestly, who cared what the gems smelled like so long as they would still soothe any injuries inflicted upon her? Certain sacrifices had to be made when things got ugly, and attempting to maintain a high level of hygiene was among the first to go. But maybe he did understand that, it would certainly explain the other dragon's lack of claw trimming skills.

Truthfully, it was probably a waste of Kayla's time to even argue with him over stuff like this in the first place. If they had met under friendlier circumstances, it would have been just a silly little trait to poke fun of. Besides, there were so much more detestable qualities she had to focus her efforts on. But as agonizing as it was for her to learn more about the dragon she was trapped with, attributes like his standard for hygiene did catch her by surprise. As well as his mistaken belief in something as fanciful as a purple dragon.

She may not have a suitable explanation for the events of that day, but Kayla was fairly certain a purple dragon had nothing to do with them. All four of the great Elemental Guardians working in tandem would have struggled to protect an area the size of the ape village from the destruction, everything had just been falling apart all at once. And Xavier expected her to believe that a single dragon could manage not only that, but also mitigate similar events happening on a global scale? Sure, and she was secretly the reincarnation of one of the long defunct Shadow Guardians. She supposed all things were equally possible in the snake's little fantasy realm.

Personally, Kayla had never really bought into the rumors of the purple dragon's miraculous reappearance in the first place. It all just seemed too convenient, some ultra powerful kid showing up to turn the tide of the war in the nick of time. But after the Eternal Night three years ago, Kayla had the sick pleasure of watching herself be proven right as the dragon alliance was dealt defeat after devastating defeat. For someone supposedly destined to save everyone from the revived Dark Master, they sure picked a rather inopportune time to call it quits. Odds were, the supposed purple dragon was just another Year of the Dragon survivor that the Guardians dolled up in scale dye to boost morale. Besides, Kayla learned a long time ago that the only dragon she could count on to get out of tough spots was herself. No one, not even a violet-colored character out of a story book, was coming to save her.

Finishing up the _sanitation_ of the red gems, Kayla turned back around just as Xavier plopped a sizable leather satchel down beside her. Despite the fact that she knew he could now see very little in the failing light, the poison dragon gave a satisfied nod and gestured to the bag. "You can stow them in here, it's someplace that the apes probably won't check."

Noting the sloppy stitched emblem consisting of a large, pitch-black X, Kayla quickly fiddled with the clasps on the bag and threw it open. A rush of fetid, musty air washed over her, with overtures of a rather potent hint of something that actually stung the inside of her nostrils. Recoiling slightly, Kayla glanced back up only to notice that Xavier had mysteriously vanished from her side. Straining her eyes, she made out his distant form sitting at the opposite end of the cell, having already moved a safe distance away. Flipping the flap back close, the shadow dragoness attempted to clear the air around her, again lamenting that her wings were still uselessly pinned behind her. "Alright wise guy," She growled, even as she pinched her nose in a rather undignified manner. "What's the big idea? Is this where you keep the corpses of all your previous cellmates?"

"Think of it as a side project of mine." The other dragon's voice came drifting back to her, his whisper now just barely audible over the distance. "Stink bombs, a non lethal deterrent for driving invaders away from the ape's territory." From across the cell, Kayla could just make out Xavier giving her a halfhearted shrug. "I could never could sell the apes on it though, they have much more sensitive noses than we do. So using this in battle would invariable be a bigger handicap for them than their enemies. I did manage to talk them into letting me keep the materials though, hence the bag."

"Heh, handicap. This is a war crime for anyone with a nose." Kayla muttered as she stared back down at the satchel. Taking in deep breaths of the still relatively clear air, she opened the bag once more and began rooting through it for a good spot. Desperate to distract herself from the nauseating stench, she pressed the alchemist for more information. "What would you even make stink bombs out of anyways?"

"Anything that stinks." Xavier replied succinctly, securing him a disapproving cough from Kayla. The dragoness continued to shift through the bag, pushing past wilted ferns, limp fungus and the occasional well-sealed glass jar as he continued. "Skunk weed was a shoe in, as well as samples from this one floral species that's actually called a carrion flower. There were also some interesting smelling mushrooms some apes found in a nearby cave that were donated as well. Some scent glands from actual skunks... You get the picture. That bag is specially insulated, so any ingredient I use that offends the senses goes in there. As well as a few... other things..."

The dragon trailed off, but Kayla couldn't care less at this point. Even if the apes were unlikely to check the bag, she knew it would only take the briefest glimpse to spot the telltale glimmer of the gems from within. If she could just find a good place to tuck them out of sight, she could be done with this and throw the ancestor-forsaken bag back in the traitor's smug face. At worst, she could just rearrange everything to entirely obscure the gems...

As her paw ran along the interior of the bag, Kayla paused as her claws clicked off something the certainly wasn't organic. As she hadn't noticed it on her initial check of interior, her thieving instincts quickly told her this wasn't something Xavier intended to be found. Upon further investigation, the shadow dragoness discovered an inlaid pocket, innocently posing as more smell-insulating material. Looking inside, Kayla caught sight of what looked like a heavily sealed glass jar, the lid caked in wax and three-fourths of the way full with some liquid. As tempted as she was to inquire as to nature of the hidden jar, Kayla was rapidly fearing for the complete loss of her sense of smell if she kept the bag open any longer. She grabbed pawfuls of gems and all but throw them to the concealed pouch, not really caring if a few of them were chipped by the harsh treatment. A few seconds later, and with the gentle clinking of gems against glass, Kayla pulled herself away and threw the satchel shut. Not even bothering with the latch, she rushed over to the window, poking her snout out between the metal bars to suck in the almost heavenly smoke-laden air.

After taking a long minute to recover, Kayla finally roused herself at the sound of more clinking from behind her. Turning to glower at the treacherous dragon, she silently watched him prod the bag from the outside, shifting the contents of the hidden pocket without opening it. Picking the satchel up, Xavier gave it a brief shake to ensure the gems were positioned in such a way as to not make as much noise. Apparently satisfied, he secured the latches once more and hitched the accursed bag onto his frail right wing. As he noticed her watching him, Kayla was incensed to see the smallest of grins appear on his face. "Well, I'm impressed. I can only last about half as long before I need to run for fresh air."

"Go...go toss yourself off a cliff, you one-winged warthog." Kayla panted, maintaining her position from the window until she was confident the room had aired out enough. Just when she thought that there was no way this dragon could annoy her anymore, he always managed to find a way to exceed her lowest expectations. Couldn't a little forewarning have been nice? At least she could now see why the snake had suggested the bag as a hidden treasure trove, there was no way the apes would dare look in there unless they were really intent on finding something. And it always could have been worse, Kayla remained thankful that the wax seal holding the lid on the hidden glass jar had remained intact. If the rest of the satchel's contents were anything to go by, she probably would have passed out immediately.

Outside, the sun had finally dipped fully below the hazy horizon, heralding the oncoming night. Pushing herself off from the window sill, Kayla was relieved to find the room slightly more bearable to be in. Knowing that a full night's sleep would be imperative to making the most of the following day, the dragoness looked around for a place to settle down. There wasn't much to choose from, the cell consisted of the same stool, table, and nest of branches she remembered from her first visit. And while she could sleep in the storeroom that made up the other half of the hut to the extent that her chain would let her, Kayla was determined to put as much room between herself and the stink bomb bag as possible. While a bed of stiff sticks evidently gathered from the forest floor was far from high class, it certainly beat all the other available options.

Kayla was about to settle down when Xavier reentered the cell. Despite the low light, she could still note his teal blue eyes bearing down on her, a question burning just behind the pupils. Despite having covered everything she cared to discuss, the dragoness remained standing, waiting for him to speak. He would probably insist on waking her up sometime later that night if they didn't get it out of the way now, and Kayla was notoriously hostile to those daring to intrude upon her slumber. Stopping just short of her, the traitor reached up to scratch the back of his neck with his wickedly long claws before opening his mouth. "So...I know it's probably not my place, but I have to ask. Once I manage to burn through the chain, have you given any thought to what comes next?"

Kayla narrowed her eyes, a lingering nub of suspicion growing once more despite the other dragon's declaration of allegiance. She still needed time to figure out all the details, but the general steps were still pretty basic. Break out, unlock the wing brace, soar into the wide open sky and leave the brain-dead apes in dust. There weren't even any dreadwings here from what she could tell, meaning that she would be home free if she could just clear the canopy. But surely he must already know that, so the only reasons he would be asking her this was if he still planned to turn her over to the apes, or...

"Allow me to be perfectly clear to you." Kayla stated, poking Xavier squarely in the chest with a single claw. "I initially saved you because it was the right thing to do. That ship has sailed. You will be doing this for me and only for me, and you will get nothing in return. NOTHING." Kayla hissed, prodding the poison dragon with enough intensity to force him a step back. "I'm leaving here, and I'll be doing so by myself. So I suggest you don't even think about continuing that line of questioning, you ape-loving worm."

Moving slowly as not to alarm her, Xavier batted away the accusing paw. "Actually, I was about to completely agree with that version of events once you're free." Kayla blinked, caught off guard by the other dragon's stark admission. She had expected pleading and whining from him, assuming that things here were really as bad as he implied. But from the solemn tone the emerald dragon put on, it was almost like he had already resigned himself to his fate. But then why would he still risk everything to help her? Was this just another ploy to trick her into trusting him again?

Perhaps sensing her confusion, Xavier craned his neck and reached his left forepaw back to gently caress the scab where his wing had once been before elaborating further. "I'm not going to sugarcoat my situation in the slightest. Even if I did win your trust back, I'm already a... well, pathetic cripple. Ignoring the fact that the injury isn't exactly recent, red gems aren't powerful enough to regrow limbs, even if you stockpiled a whole mountain of them. Without something like the end of the world to buy us a generous head start, I would only slow you down. Every possible situation I've considered always ends with one or both of us being recaptured within just a few days."

Giving the scab a final pat, Xavier dropped his paw back down and turned around to face her once more. But instead of depression or defeat like she had seen so often before, Kayla could see the faint glimmer of something harder shining in the young dragon's eyes. "But just because I'm staying behind doesn't mean I'm accepting this situation anymore. And it also doesn't mean that you'll be getting my help without doing something for me in return."

Ah. So that was the angle he was going for. Always full of surprises, almost none of them pleasant. It was time to dial up the aggression a notch, she had to remain in control. "Don't make me laugh." Kayla taunted, drawing herself up until she stood an inch taller than Xavier. "You will be melting that chain, one way or another. But if you insist, I'm fine with the way that involves me paying you back for the other night with interest..."

Kayla took an aggressive step forward, letting out a soft growl as she whipped her tail around to allow the razor sharp tip of the hook-like blade to dangle menacingly overhead. But unlike earlier, the alchemist didn't so much as tremble. Cocking his head to the side, he just gave her an apologetic smile. "That's the unfortunate part about living through nonstop bodily injury, degradation, and occasional acts of horrific mutilation. I have a hard time picturing anything that you could do being worse."

He was calling her out! Where was all this sudden bravado coming from? Undeterred, Kayla allowed her tail to relax, only to replace it with a set of claws that wrapped around one of Xavier's horns and jerked him towards her. "If you think I won't-"

"You won't." He cut her off, leaving Kayla momentarily speechless. Her grip tightened and Xavier winced as she twisted his head another few increments. "At least, not to the degree needed to change my mind. You see..." He paused to tap the side of his head with a lone claw. "I've been listening to you. Been paying real close attention to how you hold yourself too. Ever since our little _adventure_ , all your threats became all bark and no bite."

"You seem pretty presumptuous, spouting off something like that about someone you barely know." Kayla retorted, dragging his head a little bit further towards the ground until the other dragon was forced into an uncomfortable crouch. "I could be a psychopathic serial killer on the run from dragon society. I may need you to get out of here, but I don't need all your bones intact to do that, do I?"

What was she even saying? That was the opposite of intimidating! But Xavier's sudden turn around had caught her off guard, and she was scrambling for a suitable comeback. What was it about this dragon that kept getting under her scales?

"I'm reasonably sure you aren't." Xavier muttered, his head position no longer allowing him to make eye contact with her. "Even right now, this is all just one big bluff. You're a lot more restrained than before, and you seem to falling back on old insults rather than putting your admittedly impressive vocabulary to better use. A lot of that is probably not wanting to draw the ape's attention, but I'm sure you could have found a way around that. And besides," the dragon let out a quiet chuckle as he stared off at the nondescript wall Kayla's hold was directing his gaze towards. "If you were actually planning on hurting me, you would have done so already."

Kayla remained silent, reflecting on Xavier's words. He was right, as much as it pained her to admit it. Once again, had they met under any other circumstances, she wouldn't have thought twice about pickpocketing him. Maybe even rough him up a little if he annoyed her and she could get him alone. But for now, she needed him. Nothing in her arsenal could get her free of the humiliating collar, and she certainly didn't plan on waiting around for another miracle to happen. And while Kayla was no stranger to roaming the vast, morally gray ethical landscape throughout her travels, there had always been a line she knew she would never cross. Unwillingly, she felt her eyes drawn again to the scab situated on the young dragon's back, the shape nothing more than an uneven splotch of blackness against his already dark shade of scales. That line had been one that Xavier's ape captors had passed by long ago, and Kayla had no intention of following them.

Letting out a sigh, the shadow dragoness finally released the alchemist, allowing him to stand up straight once more. Turning around, Kayla waltzed a few steps away, inspecting her claws for nonexistent blemishes before shooting a glance back over her shoulder towards Xavier. "Fine. But only because I need that acid. If we're both in agreement that you're not coming with me, what else could you possibly want?" She asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. It had to be revenge, right? A quick detour to slip some poison into Rakk's food perhaps?

"In the short term, nothing much." Xavier started, his voice already bubbling with a touch of newfound enthusiasm. Kayla resisted the urge to groan aloud. Great, it looked like she was in for a lecture. "I'll still make the acid, and do whatever else I need to ensure you escape. It's what comes after that I'm interested in."

With the telltale rattle of the chain still trailing behind her, the dragoness padded over to the makeshift nest situated beneath the window. Close on her heels was the poison dragon, the tempo of his speech already threatening to go into overdrive, although he thankfully had enough awareness of their precarious position to keep his voice to just a whisper. "Once you're free, I need you to go back to dragon society and talk to the authorities. Any serial killer warrants for your arrest notwithstanding. Fly all the way to Warfang if you have to. Spread the word and make sure they understand just how much of a threat Rakk is."

Carefully maneuvering her hind quarters down onto the nest, Kayla sat and regaled Xavier with a contemplative stare. "I think I see where you're going with this." She interjected, nodding along as she considered his words. "Since you can't leave by yourself, and you're certainly not leaving with me, you want to drag a whole bunch of other dragons down with you."

"Hey, wait, that's not-"

"That's exactly what you're asking." Kayla continued on, paving over the scum's feeble objections. All of her original hate for the dragon resurfaced with a vengeance, and a clear snap rang out as one of the sticks turned to splinters in her paws. Her crimson eyes burned holes straight through the snake, causing much of his previous anxiety to return as well as he shied away from her. "You know these apes wouldn't be a pushover, even to a whole army of dragons. You're the one supplying them with poison for ancestor's sake! How many dragons do you think need to die just to free your sorry hide?"

The creak of the wood from somewhere nearby brought Kayla back to her senses, realizing that the volume of her voice had been steadily growing. Settling for a sharp inhale, she silently seethed, even as both her and the backstabber's attention remained fixed on the door. However, upon the lack of appearance from Mourn or any other ape, the shadow dragoness slowly leveled her gaze back to the flightless shit-scale. "Well, Mr. Everyone-Deserves-to-Die-for-My-Sake, what do you have to say for yourself? I may be a criminal myself, but at least I don't have the gall to demand people just give their money to me. If you want to be the next mass murderer of dragons, at least drop the goody-two-shoes schtick."

Apparently satisfied that they hadn't attracted any attention, the slimeball swiveled his head back to her, meeting her gaze unwaveringly. "This is bigger than just me, bigger than either of us. If there's an opportunity to stop Rakk, we need to take it before he..." The dragon paused, averting his gaze as much of the fever drained from his voice. "...before he kills anyone else."

"Oh, I gotcha." Kayla nodded appreciatively. Reaching a forepaw up, she gave the traitor a comforting pat on the shoulder. "The ol' _Think of the Children_ routine. Now that brings back some memories. Your delivery could use some work though, a few tears and a little snivel and you'll have just about anyone but me eating the shit you're selling."

"This is serious!" Xavier snapped, shrugging off her paw. "You even admitted that the clan is dangerous. If even one more town gets attacked, that's one town too many. The apes need to be stopped, right here and right now before they go back on the march."

"And in the grand scheme of things, So. What." Kayla challenged. Reclining back until she leaned against the wall besides the window sill, she resumed her new favorite activity of scowling at the cowardly wretch besides her. "The Dark Master cleanses entire regions every month, and excuse me for being pragmatic enough to suggest that winning that war is a bit more of a priority. There's not even any settlements near this ancestor-forsaken valley in the first place." She finished with a disinterested shrug.

Xavier gave a disgruntled snort. "So what? The clan's a couple thousand strong, maybe 60% of which is pure military. All of them armed with what basically amount to one hit, one kill weapons. That could be devastating at the right place and the right time. And it gets worse too."

Kayla groaned. "Oh no, and I was just starting to get optimistic."

"Rakk has a plan." Xavier plowed on, ignoring the dragoness as she made every effort to exaggerate a yawn to its fullest. "He's got this manifesto he's always gloating about, telling everyone within earshot how the Viper's Fang is going to come out on top after all these years spent hiding away in Blood Hollow."

"So..." Kayla motioned for him to continue, rapidly tiring with this surprisingly lengthy conversation. "Spill it, does the Sakk of Crap actually have anything worth worrying about?"

Xavier opened his mouth, only grimace and shake his head. "I...I don't know."

"You don't even know? You really are terrible at trying to make me give a shit."

"It's not that, it's just that, well, nobody knows." Xavier confessed, extending his remaining wing in a shrug. "He always brags about it, but he never actually tells us any details. I don't think even the captains know anything, Rakk dreamed it all up by himself, and he's put a lot of thought into it. And I can tell you from past experience..." The dragon interjected his rant with a light jab at Kayla's side, which she batted away with a ferocious swipe. "He's already considered everything that you use to dismiss this threat. Our capability of flight, our technology, our magic, all of it. I guarantee this plan will have ten counter strategies for every single advantage dragons hold over the Viper's Fang. If the apes make the first play….. well, I don't like our chances for making a successful comeback."

Kayla huffed and directed her gaze out the window, silently contemplating the dragon's words. She did suppose he knew what he was talking about, but at the same time it was all too conveniently aligned with what she was sure he personally wanted as well. Revenge for untold years of suffering and the freedom to be welcomed as a hero if he spun the story right. Then again, who cared what his true motives were? She was already mulling over the pros and cons of reporting the clan's location herself when she got out of here, she deserved revenge too damn it! Not to mention that framing her as his ultimate escape device did go a long ways to alleviating her fear of a repeat betrayal. But Kayla still needed to keep her guard up around him, it could also mean that he would just as quickly abandon her should another more promising opportunity crop up.

As conflicting thoughts waged war inside the shadow dragoness' brain, Xavier finally spoke once more. "Look, I don't think I really asking that much of you. Go to a settlement, which you were probably already planning to do, and talk to whoever's in charge. Maybe smuggle some clan related artifacts away with you, those will help prove your story. Worst case scenario, they ask you to lead the liberating army back here. But Warfang's not a big fan of putting teens on the front lines, so you'll be free to leave after that. No real risk to you, all things considered."

Kayla let out a contemplative hum, not betraying any of her inner thoughts to the snake. Rising back to his feet, Xavier padded around until he stood on the other side of the window sill, the scant light filtering through doing almost nothing to illuminate anything but a faint silhouette with two white and teal orbs boring into her. The dragoness coyly turned away, reaching a paw up to pick at the splintered wood where one of the metal bars merged with wood. They sat in silence, the dragoness weighing her options while the dragon waited with baited breath. Evidently impatient after failing to catch her eyes for several minutes, Xavier spoke once more. "But even with all that said, you're still going to turn me down, aren't you? Not sure what else I expected from a dishonorable brigand like yourself."

Kayla had to bit back a sudden exhalation that was too close to laughter for her liking. "Was that you trying to insult me? You really are terrible at this!" Forcing her features into a more neutral expression, she finally turned to face him, noting with some satisfaction that the traitor was grinding his teeth together. "That won't work by the way, mostly because unlike you, I make no presumptions of myself. Yes, I am thief, a vile criminal, and an unwanted plague on society. Proud of it too. But at least I don't need to prance around with one wing flopping about, proclaiming that I'm something that might be called a dragon. Isn't that right, Mr. ape-lover?"

That one hit home. Xavier flinched as if physically struck, and Kayla caught sight of the dark outline of his remaining wing briefly twitching to life. She was finally back in control. Content with the current balance of power, Kayla took the opportunity to stretch herself, letting out a gruntled groan as the stress vanished from her aching joints. Not bothering to even look at the other dragon, she began picking through the nest as she spoke. "However, I can't think of a good reason to refuse your _oh-so-humble_ request, so you can consider it done if you hold up your end and get me out of here."

She heard the shuffle of limbs as Xavier shifted positions, but it wasn't until he replied that she glanced his way again. "Very well, do we have a deal?" Appraising the dragon once more, Kayla was mildly surprised to see that he had regained his composure rather quickly and was now offering an outstretched paw. A paw capable of summoning gallons of poisonous elixir and caustic acid. A paw adorned with a set of unnaturally long and razor-sharp claws. A paw belonging to the dragon she may have antagonized one too many times.

Knowing that waiting any longer would reveal her apprehension, Kayla reached forward and clasped paws with the other dragon. The handshake was thankfully poison-free, although she did note that he seemed to be gripping her a little more tightly than courtesy demanded. Giving the paw a single pump, Kayla released him, thankful that the claws hadn't done anything further than scuffing the already ash-coated scales on her foreleg. "We have a deal. For now."

Not willing to entertain the snake any further, Kayla turned a tight circle and plopped down onto the nest. Spreading herself out as much as she could while still remaining on the relative cushion of the branches, the dragoness tucked her head down besides her body, drowsiness already weighing heavily on her eyelids. Xavier didn't move for a few seconds, and she could sense his desire to spirit away some of the sticks to make his own cushion. But the request went unspoken, and she listened to the dull scrape of claws against wood as he dragged himself back in the direction of the cell door. Finally at relative peace, Kayla allowed herself a small smirk. Things were starting to go her way for once.

However, the alliance with the poison dragon wasn't something to celebrate. She knew next to nothing about him, apart from his freakish attention to hygiene and his propensity for back-stabbing his own race. She would have to be wary of him, that much was still for certain. But at the same time, it wasn't like her agreement put her in any worse of a position. He had no way of ensuring she actually kept her word, she could turn away and leave this tragic chapter in her life far behind. It would almost serve the conniving little traitor right-

 _No! No! No!_ Kayla forced her eyes back open, a wave of revulsion washing over her as she forcefully cut that line of thought off. What was she thinking? It was easy to justify when she still thought of Xavier as a full-blooded traitor, but now that he had expressed an actual desire for freedom….. Was she still planning on leaving him behind without a second thought? Wasn't that more something _she_ would probably do, something Kayla knew to avoid at all costs?

No, Kayla was going to uphold her end of the bargain, she was going to go get help like he suggested. Make no mistake, she still hated the dragon, but that wouldn't be an excuse or a justification. Now that she reflected was surprisingly easy to fall into that kind of thinking. Into _her_ kind of thinking. As much as it clashed with Kayla's own self-righteous indignation, she steeled herself for seeing this through. After the dust settled, that's when she could turn away and put this all behind her. And of course, her vow had nothing to do with still giving him as hard a time as she could throughout her captivity.

 _But I have to be better._ She thought, even as her eyelids dropped shut against the comforting backdrop of her black wing membranes. _I promised...I promised I wouldn't be...be like..._

The rest of her thoughts were swept away in the maelstrom of whirling thoughts and emotions that welcomed her to her troubled dreams, Kayla's consciousness departing for lands unknown.


	8. A Day in the Life

**Chapter 8 – A Day in the Life**

"...So that's the new one? Over there by the window?"

"Yeah, like a living shadow. He's real scary too from what I hear."

"She's a female, isn't she?"

"Really? How can you tell?"

"It's something with the face I think. Maybe they're also a bit smaller overall?"

"Heh, like any dragon could be smaller than Vox. But she is a girl, I heard my dad talking about her with his squad. Did you guys here what she did to ol' Snag Tooth?"

As the discussion delved into amicable small talk, Kayla grimaced and pulled herself into a tighter ball. Eyes still squeezed shut, the dragoness vainly tried to blot out the intruding noise, grasping to the last strands of sleep still pervading her consciousness. Despite knowing that it was well into the morning, she was not quite ready to face another bleak day in the ape settlement. Although given that sleepiness was rapidly becoming rivaled by the grumbling of her thoroughly emptied stomach, she knew she would have to rouse herself eventually.

"...Hey Rhys, I dare you to go touch her." That got Kayla's attention, especially given that the rest of the chit-chat fell to a dead silence immediately after. Still feigning sleep, the dragoness cautiously cracked a single eye open to see who the unexpected guests were. At first, she thought that the perspective was playing tricks on her, as the small crowd of five or six apes clustered outside of the unlocked cell door barely measured up to the door handle. But as a renewed series of usually high pitched whispering reached her ears, Kayla put two and two together. Standing around three feet tall and with proportions much leaner than the typical footape, she saw that she currently had the immense pleasure of entertaining the local horde of snot-nosed children. She had to admit, it was not the situation she expected to wake up in. This could only end well.

Most of the attention seemed to be focused on one cub with his back pressed against the bars, who was in the process of attempting to talk down his comrades. Standing a tad taller than the others, Kayla could only surmise that he was the de facto leader of the ragtag group. While the face was concealed from her, she did note with some interest that his fur seemed to have a slight red tint to it, a slight aberration in the clan but certainly not the species as a whole. If she remembered correctly, it had been a clan of red-furred apes the oversaw the occupation of the Tall Plains prior to their sudden eviction. But it appeared as though this young one hadn't had the privilege of seeing his kind evicted from the Atlawa homeland at the hands of whatever forces the Guardians had deployed all those years ago. As a result, he was about to learn a very valuable lesson regarding how to behave around _proper_ dragons.

"Come on guys, there's-" The lead child stopped, hunching his shoulders as he was sudden wracked by a series of grating coughs. While it almost sounded like the ape was attempting to hack his lungs up, the rest of the entourage seemed relatively unconcerned, one of the others even going so far as to give the kid a comforting pat on the back as he struggled to regain control. After another ten seconds, the cub managed to recover and straighten up to complete his thought as if nothing had happened. "That just seems risky. Weren't we all just hearing about how she broke Snag Tooth's leg?"

"But that's what makes it so cool!" The slightly more burly ape cub that had patted the red fur chimed in. "Come on Rhys, you're supposed to be our captain when we grow up. You can't be scared of the dragons now!"

The rest of the crew all chimed in with similar support, overwhelming Rhys with poor reasons to execute a terrible idea. Not that any of that really mattered to Kayla, as she closed her eye again and covertly kneaded the sticks beneath her. She knew better than to actually harm any of the visitors, but that didn't mean that she was above tormenting them a bit, starting with their supposed leader.

"Come on Rhys, I know you can do it." A more feminine voice finally joined the clamor, which heralded a silence that stretched out several seconds before being punctuated by the weary creak of the cell door. An excited rush of whispers flooded over the gathered apes as the gentle groan of wood indicated Rhys' footsteps drawing closer and closer. Still remaining motionless, Kayla strained her ears, attempting to pinpoint the optimal time to strike. This was going to be good, the young ape had no idea what lay in store. Her only regret was that she might not be able to see his terrified little face when it happened.

The footsteps stopped, and Kayla could now hear the ragged breathing of the ape as he lingered at the edge of the nest. There was a slight rustle of fabric from Rhys' tunic and the heavy breathing lessened in intensity as the ape turned back to his cohorts for a final silent confidence boost. The shadow dragoness readied herself as the ape hyped himself up and took a deep breath, a sudden stillness signaling the kid's arm shakily reaching through the void to touch her precious black scales.

At the exact moment that Kayla judged contact was about to be made, she summoned the meager amount of elemental power she had managed to accumulate over her long rest. Darkness enveloped her body as she descended down into the realm of shadows, her now immaterial body simply phasing through the nest until she was once again resting as a shapeless cloud in the landscape of infinite darkness. Well, a shapeless cloud with a very real chain that still bound her to the world above. She noticed the ape cub silhouetted above, his hand still extended as he stared at the space that dragoness had once occupied in numb shock. She couldn't quite see that far through the shadow realm in broad daylight, but Kayla was reasonably sure the rest of the gathered entourage held a similar look of astonishment. It was almost like none of them had ever seen a shadow dragon before, or any dragon actually willing to fight back for that matter.

Capitalizing on the ape's hesitation, Kayla threw herself back up at the ceiling of light with as much power as she dared to expend. Erupting with an entrance that sent the sticks of the nest scattering in every direction, the dragoness reared herself up to her maximum height, balancing on her hind legs and tail as she towered over the unfortunate primate. Tendrils of shadow flowed over her scales, and served to accentuate the razor sharp claws that were poised to rake across the cub. Contorting her face into an unbridled snarl, Kayla let out a low growl, making her opinion of the apes perfectly clear to even the simplest among them. Her only regret was that her wings were still contained within the rings of iron, as spreading them wide would have drawn her up as menacingly as possible.

As it turned out, the wings weren't needed. The unexpected display of her powers in addition to the pure malice she was extruding achieved the intended effect. Rhys took one look of mindless terror at the dragon lording over him before giving an undignified squeak and backpedaling furiously towards the door. Tripping over his fear-seized feet, the cub toppled to the ground only to immediately flip himself upright again and sprint away as fast as he could, nearly tearing the iron-barred door off its hinges as he barreled through. He was still leagues behind his crew however, as they had already sped out of the hut and onto the walkways, shrieking all the way. As the last piece of Rhys' reddish fur vanished from sight, Kayla dropped back onto all fours and allowed herself a contented smirk. Now that was an appropriate reaction to a dragon, those kids would do well to carry the same response into the future. It may just earn them the smallest shred of mercy.

"You shouldn't have done that." The smirk summarily slid into a scowl as Kayla finally twisted her head to take in the rest of the cell. Sure enough, seated at the lonely stool in front of the solitary table was the shit-scaled snake himself, surrounded by various vials and pouches as he busied himself with his work. Despite their newfound agreement, the shadow dragoness still found something rather vile boil up at the back of her throat whenever she laid eyes on him. Maybe that was just a reflex at this point, seeing as how many times she had thrown up in his presence.

Not bothering to tidy the scattered nest, Kayla stalked towards the alchemist, making no effort to hide the telltale rattle of her chain. "Well, unlike you, I don't plan on stooping to the level where I'm nothing more than some measly sideshow attraction. _I_ still have some draconic pride left." She finished with a self-satisfied hint in her voice.

The other dragon paused, still idly swirling a beaker of fluid in one paw. Glancing over his shoulder, he cast a very pointed look at the chain snaking back to the bars that separated the cell from the storeroom. "At the moment, I'd say that you don't have much of a choice."

Kayla let out an indignant snarl. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I liked you more when you were just a stuttering coward."

"I get that a lot." Xavier replied indifferently. Setting the beaker back down, he waved a paw in the general direction of the cell door. "Assuming that Rhys' gang didn't pillage it, Mourn brought some food for you. It should be over there... somewhere."

Kayla was tempted to continue with another retort had it not been for a sudden growl from her stomach. Realizing how long it had been since her last meal in additional to emptying her guts on two separate occasions, she decided to table the brewing argument for now. After a minute of hunting around on both sides of the iron bars, she did eventually locate the meager tray of food. If it could be called that, it was nothing more than a chunk of meat burnt beyond the point of recognition and a chunk of bread that snapped in half with a sharp crack as she tore into it. But Kayla almost didn't mind as she ravenously tore into the meal with all the ferocity of a feral animal. Believe it or not, it wasn't even the worst meal she'd been served while imprisoned. Not by a long shot.

As she shuffled around for any sizable crumbs she may have dropped, the snake spoke again, apparently not having said his fill yet. "And for future reference, you would do well to ignore Rhys' troop when they come back. It'll save you a lot of hassle in the long run."

Waltzing back into the living quarters of the hut, Kayla let out an exasperated sigh. While the food had curbed the worst of her hunger pains, it still felt like there was an empty pit where her stomach usually sat. The presumptuous emerald dragon lecturing her also did little to sate her sour mood. "There's this little thing you must not be acquainted with. It's called self respect. Not that I'd expect a flightless dragon to have much of that, but I do. And that," she allowed her voice to rise to a crescendo as she pointed a talon towards the entrance of the hut. "That just ensured that they know who they're messing with from now on."

"No, all you did was make sure that they'll come back tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that too." Xavier explained in a weary tone. Shifting some of his supplies aside, he suspended an empty forepaw over the beaker sitting in front of him. After a few seconds of concentration, a rich honey-colored liquid flowed from out of his scales, running down onto his longer claws where upon it dripped down into the solution. "As a matter a fact, I wouldn't be surprised if _Touch the Shadow Dragon_ became their new favorite pastime."

"So that's your advice? Just turn belly up and let them poke and prod to their shriveled little heart's content? Yeah right." The black dragoness scoffed, taking up a post watching over the other dragon's shoulder. "Maybe next time I should remind them that these claws aren't just for show."

Xavier stopped what he was doing, swiveling around on the stool to face her properly for the first time. Affixing her with what he must have thought was an intimidating stare, he gave his head the barest of shakes. "Kayla, they're kids. Just kids. They don't have any memories of the war, or of fighting dragons. It's always just been this far off concept and we're just novelties to them. They don't have the same level of distrust and outright hatred that a lot of the old veterans do. At least not yet, and believe me when I say that I'm in no hurry to cultivate those emotions."

Just kids. Just children of dragonkind's biggest sworn enemy for as long as she could remember. Children who would probably be gleefully ripping out other dragon's throats in a few years. To be fair, she couldn't really punish them for crimes not yet committed, but that by no means meant that they were excused from being incorrigible whiny brats. Kayla would give them their just desserts, but Xavier was quite correct in his assertion about the harm of a truly violent reaction. Although she was much more worried about the reaction of the adults in that regard.

Letting the new silence stretch out, Kayla passively watched as Xavier turned back and fished a few stiff leaves out of a small pouch to add to his current mixture. The rich green leaves fizzled upon contact, creating a foam of white bubbles within the beaker. Giving the other dragon a not-so-gentle nudge that caused the contained liquid to slosh around frenetically, the dragoness nodded her head towards the array of potion ingredients on the table. "So, are you actually starting on what we discussed last night?"

The poison dragon went rigid, his eyes briefly darting back and forth between her and the legion of glass vials. Clearing his throat, he answered her in a slightly more boisterous tone. "What we discussed? I don't remember much talking, mostly just you giving me a new set of bruises."

What? She had barely touched him, and he should know by now what would happen if she actually wanted to cause injury. And with the pure dedication and even genuine excitement that had been in his voice last night, she knew that he couldn't have forgotten so soon either. But before she could come up with a scolding reply, she felt the barest of taps on her hindquarters as the three pronged mace on Xavier's tail brushed past her scales. Masking the move as reaching for some distant ingredients at the far end of the table, the emerald dragon leaned in close to let out a short exhalation, speaking so quietly and so rapidly that Kayla would have surely lost it had she not been paying attention. " _Continue the argument. Don't know who's listening._ "

"Well maybe I consider your cries of pain to be the only worthwhile things to come out of that rotten mouth of yours." Kayla replied without missing a beat. Blending the movements with a graceful stretch, the dragoness took a quick stock of her surroundings. The rest of the storeroom looked as cluttered and ape-free as ever, and she couldn't see anyone moving beyond the sunlit door frame. A cursory check of the window also yielded no results, leaving Kayla with only a slight frown. Sliding closer to the other prisoner again, she repeated his same whispered technique. " _I thought the old crone was leaving us alone. What gives?_ "

"Relishing in the pain of the downtrodden, very nice. You know, I recall hearing stories about a shadow dragoness that liked to do exactly that." Xavier continued in the same louder tone. Noisily clinking some glasses together, he was able to cover up a more conventional whisper back to her. " _She is, rest of the clan might not. Wait until after dusk, better to play it safe._ "

Of course he'd want to play it safe, only working on the escape plan once twilight set in. Unlike her, he had already been here for who knew how long, a couple more weeks would mean nothing to him if it meant remaining undiscovered. But there was a difference between playing it safe and flaunting their efforts in front of Rakk's face, and Kayla suspected that a little risk taking would go a long way. At least he was quick to adapt to a perceived threat. But even that would not excuse certain insults.

Landing a closed fist blow to the dragon's shoulder that made him stagger and wince, Kayla traipsed back to the center of the room. "Don't you dare compare me to that monster, she's done more to ruin the reputation of shadow dragons than anything I could ever hope to rival." With nowhere else to go, Kayla found herself again resting her forepaws on the window sill, poking her nose out into the still gloomy hollow which was now bustling with activity. Like she had surmised, there wasn't anyone here hoping to eavesdrop on the conversation, although the traffic now present certainly indicated that this threat wasn't to be dismissed right away. The clunk of foot falls was her only warning to a group of approaching pedestrians, and the shadow dragoness withdrew her nose back into the confines of the cell before the outstretched fist of a guffawing ape made contact. Xavier was right, the rest of the clan probably wouldn't hesitate to listen in to the prisoner's escape plans given the opportunity.

Shifting down until her head was supported by one of her forepaws, Kayla forced herself to relax before speaking again. "So, seeing as you're not working on the potion to finish turning yourself into an actual snake as I suggested, what are you doing?" She asked aloud, seamlessly blending their two conversations and giving Xavier a proper excuse to continue on in a more typical volume of conversation.

"Various medical supplies. Yesterday cleaned out an awful lot of the clan's stockpile. Some salves to help protect burn victims, a lot of numbing potions to ease pain, typical stuff. I don't know if I'll be able to make enough though, the numbing potion in particular requires this particular fern called..." The various clicking and sloshing of liquid resumed as Xavier continued his lecture. Kayla idly drummed her claws on her cheek as the dragon droned on and on. Whether it be nervousness or just a passion for his work, he rattled off pointless botany fact after pointless botany fact. Deciding to tune him out, Kayla watched the world move on from the cell window, absorbing every detail she could about her captors.

While this was far from a typical day in the lives of the apes still recovering from yesterday's disaster, she was able to gleam a few important facts. The most pertinent was the exact organization of the simian's military. At the top was obviously Rakk, followed by however many captains he commanded. But down at the lowest levels, each band of the foot soldiers were divided into various squads that appeared to range from four to as many as a dozen individuals. Each of these were lead by a single ape, a sergeant if her encounter the other night was anything to go by. They usually differentiated themselves by barking out orders to those under their immediate command or by some additional pale-white clan insignia somewhere on their clothing. This was useful for two reasons, the first being that if it came down to a fight, Kayla might be able to sow confusion in the ranks by taking out the local leader first. But the more intriguing fact was that the sergeants were more likely to be carrying valuable objects. If Mourn hadn't been given a replacement ring of keys, then Kayla already knew that the local sergeant for the prison squad would be the next place to check.

Given the identity of their early morning guests as well as her previous excursion through the village, the next useful piece of trivia was that this was by no means a war camp. The apes had a significant presence of noncombatants here, ranging from the various artisans to the young and old alike. But despite their decidedly calmer nature, Kayla decided against attempting to make any contact with these civilian groups. At best, they probably avoid her like the plague and at worst they would share the exact opinions as the military half of the clan. It was also something she would have to bring up with the legions upon legions of Warfang soldiers that Xavier believed she could summon at a snap of her claws. It certainly ruled out just torching the entire hollow from the skies, that was an atrocity more befitting of the Dark Master's army. Just another factor to further complicate things.

It didn't come until well after midday, but Kayla eventually got confirmation of yet another piece of information Xavier had once imparted to her. A savage howl echoed through the hollow, one that sent chills down Kayla's spine and perked her up from where she had almost dozed off again. Clambering up onto the window sill, she strained her eyes down at the distant ground, searching for the source of the sound. With the sun now directly overhead, she was able to clearly spot some motion on the shaded forest floor below.

Picking their way across the now chaotically placed spires of igneous rock, a small band of apes was heaving on a set of ropes connect to a hulking quadruped. The creature had a massive hunchback, the lopsided figure concealing the unbounded power it was capable of outputting when properly motivated. Even from her distant vantage point, Kayla could see the matted lavender fur that draped across the creature's upper half. She could picture the rest of it well enough from memory, with a set of scaly limbs curling into brutally efficient claws. The slobber filled under-bite, of which the forked tongue of the creatures would hang limply over a row of jagged teeth. Right down to the tiny little horn situated between two malevolently glowing eyes. Death Hounds, one of the Dark Army's old favorites, and evidently Rakk's as well. A monster specifically breed for one thing and one thing alone: hunting down dragons. Xavier hadn't been lying the night they met, she had no hope of either overpowering or outrunning even a single hound on the ground, much less an entire pack. An aerial escape was Kayla's only option.

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully after that. Xavier darted in and out of Kayla's perception, the poison dragon keeping to himself after having realized ten minutes into his explanation on alchemy that she was ignoring him. Mourn appeared once or twice as well, dropping off more food and a refill for the water bucket. The dragoness paid close attention to these visits, although the only thing of note she was able to determine was that the ape jailer had affixed a new pouch to her belt in the same spot Xavier claimed she would have kept Kayla's keys. But the thief had no opportunity to confirm or deny that assertion, as Mourn seemed determined to never once turn her back on the dragoness, even while she inspected the chain for any kind of damage. At one point, it almost seemed like the wizened old ape wanted to say something to her, but Kayla made a point of quickly moving to stare out the window. It didn't matter whether the jailer was about to curse her or show gratitude for her actions the previous day, Mourn was still yet another adversary the shadow dragoness would have to overcome.

It wasn't until the sun again dipped beneath the distant ridge of mountains that Kayla roused herself to get some actual work done. It was far from a wasted day, as she had made some rather important discoveries about the clan that might come in handy down the line. But that was all dependent on getting free of the leash in the first place, which was something that for once wasn't wholly her responsibility. The second the exhausted Xavier limped back into the hut from another long day of doctoring, she was waiting for him, even going so far as to stand at attention in the storeroom. And it only took one look at the expectant dragoness' face for him to get the message

Sighing, Xavier glanced back to where the slouched form of Mourn that was just visible past the door frame. Resuming the same whispered tone from the previous night, he gave a single nod in Kayla's direction. "Right, a deal's a deal. Just give me a minute to put the medical gear away." He conceded, even as he unslung the two bags fastened to either side of his scrawny body.

Standing aside to let him past, Kayla stuck to the poison dragon like a shadow as he weaved his way through the various crates. As he slid one bag after another into a cramped cubby hole between two barrels, she placed a paw on his shoulder, tightening her grip slightly more than courtesy demanded. "So, I noticed that in our little discussion last night, you didn't bother to give me an estimate on how long it would take apart from _it'll take awhile_. Care to elaborate?"

Putting the last bag away, Xavier shrugged off her paw and slowly turned around to come face to face with the dragoness, who was rather conveniently blocking the only way back out of the corridor of supplies he had worked himself into. Taking in a calming breath, he locked eyes with the thief before him. "I'm not planning on elaborating because I don't know. Simple as that. These things take time, so be patient."

He made to push past her, only to be stopped by a stern paw against his chest. Kayla cocked a single eyebrow, not amused by his attempted deflection. "Really? Because escape plans require an extensive amount of planning. It's in the name."

Xavier let out a tired sigh. "And as I explained last night, there's a lot of unknowns that go into making this. I'm not going to make an estimate because you'll hold me to it and get absolutely furious when we inevitably go over it. So the _it'll be awhile_ stays for now."

"Try."

It was a single word, but one that caused the alchemist to pause and reevaluate her. For once, there was no hint of malice in Kayla's voice, no underlying threat or deception. While she stood proudly before the other dragon, a momentary twitch in her tail betrayed her. She needed him for this, needed him to get free. It was an idea that had burrowed its way into her head after an entire day of observing the apes, every strategy and plan she devised was always dependent on Xavier breaking the chain. With her current situation, she had no other play aside from wasting away waiting for another opportunity that may never come. And while she would never say so aloud, she was desperate. She wasn't going to spend any more of her life than she already had stuck in a cage.

"Under ideal conditions, a week." Xavier finally stated, ruffling his single wing as he spoke. "But we're not in ideal conditions. Factoring in likely errors, keeping things hidden from the apes and that I won't be able to realistically work on this every single night, I'd say two is a better guess. Actually, make that two and a half." He quickly amended.

Kayla frowned, her eyes darting about as she considered the implications of Xavier's words. "That's too long. I doubt the apes will just leave me alone for that amount of time, I need to get out of here _now_. At least before that dwarf captain gets a chance to have a private session with me. I'm guessing all those knives aren't for show."

"They're not. I certainly don't envy you in that regard." Xavier solemnly nodded. Displaying dexterity she didn't think he possessed, the dragon coiled his legs and sprang upwards, landing atop one of the crates besides her. Before Kayla could block his path again, Xavier hopped down on the other side and began browsing through another row of supplies. As the dragonesses awkwardly backtracked, he continued to address her. "But I'm afraid it's something you'll have to live with. We'll only have one shot at this and I'm not going to do a rushed job that gets discovered by our primate friends."

Tucking a shoddy, open-topped box under a foreleg, he hobbled his way past the agitated Kayla. Refraining herself from laying a paw on him as he passed, she dared to raise her voice to just above a whisper. "That's the problem. If these apes are anything like the Dark Master's old army, I _won't_ live with it." She growled pugnaciously. Making to follow Xavier once more, the dragoness jerked to a sudden halt as her chain went taut, the metal loops now intertwined around the base of one of the numerous barrels that dotted the landscape. Letting out a puff of air, Kayla heaved against the chain, although this only served to frustrate her more as the heavy barrel remained utterly indifferent to her efforts.

"If they wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Xavier replied matter-of-factly as he set the box down next to his work table. "But like me, you're here instead. That means we have time to work with." Realizing that he could hardly be heard over the chaotic rattling of the chain, Xavier set down an empty jar harder than intended and craned his neck over to where Kayla was still taking out her pent-up aggression on the innocent barrel. "And if you actually tip that over, you'd better be the one to clean it up."

Easing off her assault, Kayla settled for tossing the slackened chain over top of the barrel before making her way back to the cell door. "All I'm saying is that if this plan was only dependent on me, I'd already be gone. I'm going to wind up doing most of the work too, all you have to do is make a stupid potion."

"If only you knew how much of an oversimplification that is." Xavier muttered as the cell door clanged shut once more. Holding a paw over the jar, he gave an almost imperceptible shudder and knitted his brows together in concentration. The pitter-patter of liquid raining down filled the room as a watery, lime green solution dripped from the dragon's claws. This continued uninterrupted for several seconds before the dragon stopped the elemental flow, leaning against the table with his other paw as his head dipped a few degrees, the simple act of creating the weakest of acid evidently taxing for the scrawny young dragon. Keeping his still dripping paw over the partially filled jar, he motioned Kayla closer with a flick of his tail. "Two things. First, could you please grab the rag I threw into the box? And second, if you're upset with the slow pace, I can think of a few ways to expedite the process."

Drawing closer to the alchemist, Kayla glanced down into the box, where she immediately spotted the dirty length of cloth the dragon mentioned. Snagging it with a single claw, the dragoness flicked it up into the air, where upon it gracefully draped across the other dragon's face. Grabbing the offending sheet with his spare paw, Xavier carefully cleaned his claws of any lingering drops of acid as Kayla settled down nearby. Shooting a dubious glance at the scant amount of rather weak looking acid the alchemist had succeeded in creating, the dragoness hesitantly rose to the bait. "What, you mean like having me fetch every little thing you need? Like a personal slave? I think I might need to refer you to our earlier conversation about self respect."

"Well I certainly wouldn't begrudge some help, especially considering that you're a tad smarter than most of the apes I work with. But no, I was referring to your... particular skill set."

Kayla narrowed her eyes, unsure if she was more incensed over the intelligence insult or curious over what he had in mind. Deciding to split the difference, she responded in kind. "As much of a _privilege_ it would be to work with a potions master as esteemed as yourself, I fail to see how anything I'm skilled at pertains to what you're struggling to accomplish."

"You're a thief, aren't you? Plague on society and proud of it, isn't that how you put it?" Kayla gave an assenting grunt as Xavier produced another empty jar from the box. "Then there may be a few things you could steal that would help me considerably."

"Do you have the attention span of a flea? I'm. Chained. Up." Kayla flouted, whipping the slackened end of the chain until it lightly bounced off the other dragon's side. As useful as her shadow phasing was, the tendency to be defeated by a single length of iron had to be the bane of her existence. Oh the havoc she would otherwise wreak...

"Sounds like you're not a very good thief then." Xavier quipped. Preemptively flinching away, he scooped up the second partially filled jar of acid to act as scavenged shield to prevent her from giving him a good thrashing. It worked, but only barely, with Kayla withdrawing her clenched fist in exchange for attempting to wither him with the force of her ire alone.

"Just a joke, it's just a joke." The poison dragon's voice wavered as he checked to make sure she wasn't going to hit him. "Besides, if it's any comfort, Mourn will probably take you out for walks once the apes are settled back down again."

"Just spit out what you need me to swipe already." Kayla hissed, her patience for this conversation rapidly wearing thin. The idea of being treated like some…. pet was already breeding a new spark of hatred for her captors.

"Just two things." Xavier announced, even as he squeezed the last vestiges of his elemental power into the second jar. "First, and hopefully most apparent, would be green gems. If Rakk has a stash of reds, you can bet he'll have a barrel full of greens hidden away as well. Just a handful would really speed things along, not to mention being incredibly useful for your dash to freedom."

Before the shadow dragoness could get a word in edgewise, Xavier quickly forged on ahead. "And yes, I admit that stumbling across those in your current state is rather unlikely. But there is a good chance of you acquiring the other item." He paused, his paws stiffly working through the motions of wiping off the acid using the stained rag. Tossing the fabric aside, he slyly tapped his claws against his own exposed neck. "I need metal. Iron, treated with the same finish your collar and chain to be precise. Doesn't matter from where, just as long as you can find a suitable sample for me to hone in on the acid concentration with."

With muted footsteps and the obnoxious rattle of the chain, Kayla dragged herself back to the bare-bones bedding beneath the window. Flopping down with the sharp crackle of dried branches, she settled for letting her eyes shoot daggers into the alchemist's back. Having some sort of testbed did make a lot of sense, she certainly knew that the only way she'd want the apes stumbling across their plan was finding the severed end of the chain lying on the floor. Mourn was already checking for damage, so even a drop of acid ran the risk of giving the game away. And while swallowing such a prize was out of the question, Kayla could think of a few more typical ways to smuggle an adequately small iron trinket. It took a nervous glance over his shoulder for Kayla to realize that Xavier was awaiting some kind of answer from her. "If I see something like that, you can consider it as good as gone. Seeing as you're apparently useless at getting it yourself..."

"Well I would, except-" Xavier cut himself off, head cocking sideways as he suddenly registered a distant stomping drifting in from the window. His entire body stiffened as he grasped at the two jars of acid and unceremoniously stuffed them back into the rustic box beside the table. Kayla made to rise, but stopped upon seeing him motioning her to stay put. "Act natural, it's one of the captains."

" _Quick, hide the acid!_ " She shot back at him in a strategic whisper. If their new visitors happened to get a glimpse of the box's contents, they were royally screwed. While settling back down from a crouch, Kayla made sure to surreptitiously tuck her legs underneath her body, coiling the muscles should the worst come to pass. Could that psychotic black-fur be back already?

" _There's no time._ " He whispered through clenched teeth, even as the first glimmers of torchlight flickered in through the window. The footsteps came to a halt, and a sharp breath from directly above her told Kayla that the captain in question was currently peering in from the crooked metal bars. Laying her head down on the nest, she remained motionless, even as Xavier impassively matched the unseen ape's stare from his table. A solid ten seconds passed before the footsteps resumed, the small party making their way over to the door of the hut. After sliding the box under the table as casually as he could, Xavier jerked his head towards the door as he rose to his feet. After a moment of deliberation, Kayla made to follow him, slipping into the long shadows now cast by the motley group gathered in front of their door.

"...wasn't informed of this, it seems rather unusual." The tail end of Mourn's words drifted back to the black dragoness as the jailer addressed the squad of apes assembled before her. It took Kayla a few seconds to recognize the lead ape she was addressing, deprived as he was of his usual plate armor. But as the torch light bounced off the simian's bulky head, she let out a muffled snarl. It was the very same one that had captured her in the first place, Maim, or some other similarly idiotic name. Not a reunion she had been looking forward to, at least not until she was finally unchained.

Maim, clothed only in the leather under armor and trademark hood, gave an apologetic shrug. "None of this is typical, but that doesn't change the orders. Rakk only wants them for an hour or two, I trust we can expect some well-behaved guests this time around?"

Mourn turned back to glare at the two silent dragons lurking behind her before giving a slow nod. "I believe so, Black Wing seems to conserving her strength for now. But all the same, make sure your apes don't give her any opportunities. Those talons can do a real number on you." She finished, tapping her left foot as Kayla caught a brief glimpse of stained bandages underneath from where the dragoness had torn at her. At least someone around here knew to respect the claws.

Nonetheless, the dragon tender quickly retrieved a ring on keys from an unseen location and ventured into the hut. Xavier had given her the slightest shake of his head, but Kayla didn't need a remainder not to attempt anything. While Maim was under-dressed by his usual standards, the rest of his troops were not, and the wary glances they shot Kayla as Mourn switched her collars left little room for liberating escapades. When the dragoness' traveling leash was affixed and controlled by no less than three of the accompanying troop, the Captain finally gave a grateful nod as the ape matron settled back down into her usual chair. With Xavier mutely standing by her side, Kayla allowed herself a calming breath, recalling some old advice given to her a lifetime ago. _Be cautious, be patient, be observant. You never know what good fortune the next moment will bring._

The atypical procession meandered its way through the treetops, leapfrogging from redwood to redwood as they were escorted into the heart of the hollow. Obeying Xavier's unspoken suggestion, Kayla remained cooperative, even if she still nipped at whichever ape gave her chain an unnecessary tug. Instead, the dragoness' eyes swept across each new visage afforded to her, each location solidifying into an ever expanding mental map. Almost all of it was seemingly useless information, but that was only because she hadn't figured out a good place for it yet. But some pieces were already beginning to fit into her overarching strategic web. For instance, if she had to run and hide, the living quarters located one level up and two trees south of Xavier's hovel would be a terrible choice if the quickly silenced screams of an ape infant were any indication of the attentiveness of the parents. Likewise, the small armory she caught a glimpse of at the highest level of a tree to the southeast of her new home might just be the best place to snag some of that blasted metal for Xavier if the opportunity arose...

Kayla was so wrapped up in her studious cataloging that she nearly bumped into the grimy primate in front of her as they finally came to a halt. Glancing around, she noticed how high up they had gotten, the hut they stood outside towering over every neighboring walkway. Not surprising, pompous shitbags like Rakk tended to lord over their subjects in every sense of the word.

Waving off his soldiers with a hand wave, Maim took full control of Kayla's leash before motioning her to step into the well-lit doorway before her. Bracing herself for what awaited within, Kayla crossed the threshold. Behind her, she heard Xavier take in a shaky breath before reluctantly following, his tail limply dragging across the wood behind him.

The concentrated musk of prolonged ape habitation struck her nose with a sharp jab, even as the shadow dragoness took in the rather lavish décor. A wide circular table dominated the room, strewn as it was with various maps and chess-like pieces marking various locations. Tucked into the far corner of the room was an imposing bed, decked with what appeared to be fine silk linens, heavy quilts and accompanied by a worn nightstand. While she wasn't at all surprised to find the Warlord's armor and effects hung on a rack next to the door, the one unexpected faucet of Rakk's quarters was the rather stately bookcase taking up a good chunk of the interior wall made up of the hollowed out tree trunk. It was hardly impressive when compared to the other libraries Kayla had visited, or pillaged if she was being honest, in the past, but it was far more tomes than she expected a single ape to own. Especially since a large number of them seemed to be draconic in origin if the runes etched onto each spine were to be believed...

"Maim! You brought the entertainment!" The high pitched voice screeched against her eardrums as Kayla finally noticed the other occupants of the room. The other two captains, the blackened dwarf and a gaunt, immaculately groomed captain she had only seen once before were already standing around the table, the former bouncing up and down on his nimble feet. Like Maim, they both lacked their usual sets of armor, although this didn't seem to exempt Frenzy from toting around his usual bandolier of knives while the taller captain studied them with a bored gaze. And of course, Rakk was here too, the towering warlord perusing a book propped open on the table before him. Looking up upon Frenzy's proclamation, the titan spread his scarred muzzle into a toothy grin, observing the pair of dragons as a death hound would its prey. Unsettled from the display, Kayla quickly averted her gaze, searching for something, anything to distract her...

 _Why hello there..._ There, from just behind Rakk's hulking form and sitting innocently on the nightstand was a glimmer of silver. Kayla averted her eyes before her gaze gave her away, but she knew what she saw. There was some kind of metal trinket sitting there, sitting all nice and polished and just begging to be swiped. If it so happened to be what Xavier had told her to look for, maybe, just maybe, she could arrange for its abrupt disappearance.

As Maim secured the free end of her leash around one of the table legs, Kayla barely registered Xavier drawing abreast of her, eyes practically glued to the floor. But it wasn't until she noticed the almost imperceptible shudder than ran through his body that she realized he was almost frozen solid with fear. _Pathetic_. She thought, scoffing as the other dragon's breathing quickened as Maim motioned for them to stay off to the side, away from the table as he exchanged greetings with his fellow commanders. _These apes don't look so tough without armor, I bet that I could-_

That's when she noticed it. Tucked up above Rakk's bed, high up enough that she had disregarded it on her first sweep of the room, was a wood plaque adorned with some sort of hunting trophy made up of numerous bones. Thin lines of white stretched across the wooden plate, each one of the set held in place with small rings of metal. Several spindly protrusions jutted at odd angles to form what looked like a half completed spider web. The primary pillar of the sculpture was wider and ran the length of the grotesque display, binding everything together as it formed a sturdy protruding ridge. But the bones were too large to be from something like a bat, and far too small for anything like a dreadwing or even a dragon. Unless the dragon was little more than a hatchling of course...

Kayla's stomach gave a sudden lurch, and she felt her head involuntarily turning back to Xavier as her eyes settled on the scab covering half of his back. Ever since entering the building, the dragon had not raised his head even once, although the way his body was shifted away from the grotesque indicated that this was far from his first trip here. It was one thing to have something like that ripped off, but to then hang it up as some sort of perverted trophy...

She had to get out of here.

"Dragons!" Rakk's voice suddenly rang out as he brought his hands together in a thundering clap. Steeling her nerves, Kayla reluctantly allowed her unfocused gaze to drift back to the ape overlord standing before them. Arm stretched wide as if to welcome them, Rakk let out a bellowing laugh. "I'm overjoyed that you both could join us here in my humble abode. We have _so_ much to discuss."


	9. Forgotten Legacy

**Chapter 9 – Forgotten Legacy**

"Now, I'm sure each of you are speculating just why I have assembled you all here at such a dismal hour of the day." Rakk announced. Xavier briefly flicked his eyes up from the floor to see the ape Warlord throwing his arms wide as if to encompass the entire group. To the alchemist's mild surprise, the gesture seemed to include the two dragons as well, confirming the suspicions that had been building ever since Maim fetched them. Rakk wanted them here, wanted them to see just what machinations he had been scheming up. Maybe it was to boast his own prowess, maybe it was to intimidate the still rebellious shadow dragoness taking a seat besides Xavier. If it was the latter...

 _Don't look. Not even a glance._ Xavier reminded himself, even though the inexorable pull of the macabre display suspended above Rakk's bed continued to tug at the edges of his vision. The pain was back again, a white hot lance through his back with every twitch of his deteriorated flight muscles. The ape's trophy radiated out a malevolent aura, one that Xavier could detect from every corner of the village. Most of the time, it was something he could distract himself from by redoubling his efforts on whatever menial task his overseers set before him. But up here, in the caldera of Rakk's domain, it was almost suffocating. Every cell in his body was screaming at him to flee, to run from this stately room and never look back. But he persevered, knowing that giving into his desire would only bring the Warlord's wrath down upon him once more.

"I'm just wondering why you brought the slimy ol' scalies along." Frenzy blurted out, banging a fist against the round conference table that almost reached up to his chin. While fellow captains Maim Wind and Karameko looked on with apprehensive expressions, Frenzy straddled the table until he could leer at the two dragons pressed against the inner wall of the hut. "I know you must have some brilliant plan Sir, but inviting two crystal-suckers over any of my vice captains is... is... it's an insult!" Frenzy all but exploded, sending tufts of black fur drifting through the air as he noisily stomped about his side of the table.

This drew a lighthearted chuckle from Rakk, who was still playing the ever-gracious host. The two dragons in question were much less at ease, with Xavier nervously shooting a surreptitious glance towards Kayla. The dragoness' attention was unwaveringly affixed on the tantrum-throwing captain, but if the way she was biting the inside of her cheeks was any indication, she didn't need any remainders not to further provoke the primates. While Xavier liked to think that Rakk or one of the other captains would step in before Frenzy could go overboard, he also knew that the diminutive captain was by far the most agile among them. The tiny terror would still get a few good licks in before anyone else could even think to react. Less than a minute had passed since they had entered the building and the situation was already balancing on a knife's edge.

"With all due respect Commander, I do find myself somewhat in agreement with the whining cub." The usually silent Karameko piped up, his voice calm and gentle despite the insult conveyed with it. Frenzy whipped around, a growl already building in the back of his throat as he stared up at the taller captain. The lanky and unusually well groomed ape rarely spoke his mind, although his distaste of Frenzy was widely known. Xavier couldn't say he was surprised by the animosity, the two were polar opposites. Frenzy was a chaotic harbinger of death, while Karameko was a cool, collected commander that preferred to rule the battlefield with fine-tuned strategy. While Rakk tended to mediate out any disagreements before they came to blows, the rivalry often spilled out into their respective legions of troops. It certainly said something about the bad blood between the captains when Xavier had treated far more injuries stemming from their feud as opposed to any legitimate external threat the clan faced.

Darting in front of his stoic rival, Frenzy jabbed an accusatory finger into Karameko's chin. "Who are you calling a kid, you squinty-eyed bastard? I was christened an ape long before you ever began waving that sword of yours around." Frenzy smirked, even as Karameko remained mute. "Maybe that's why your mate-"

"Frenzy, my boy." Rakk interrupted, even as Xavier noted one of Karameko's hands clench into a fist beneath the table. "Let us not say something we might later regret." Receiving a nod from the War Chief, Maim Wind reluctantly shuffled along the perimeter of the table until he was entrenched between the two warring captain, stemming any further argument.

Raising his voice to silence Frenzy's residual grumbling, Rakk next turned his attention to the pair of dragons who had been silently watching the exchange. "But they do bring up a good point, wouldn't you agree my hair-impaired friends? Why would I opt to bestow the two of you with my precious pearls of wisdom? Hm?" The Warlord prodded, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Because you like to hear your own voice echo off of something other than empty ape skulls." Kayla intoned. Xavier froze, going stiff as silence filled the room. These were not the apes she could mess around with, they wouldn't hesitate to torture either of them indiscriminately if they were enraged enough. Xavier grimaced as he stole a peek at his amputated limb. Did she not see what Rakk had mounted on his wall?

Not daring to raise his head from the floor, Xavier almost flinched as a loud guffaw suddenly rang out. "Even now, you've still got some spunk in you Black Wing. I like that." Trailing a fingernail along the edge of the table, Rakk sidled closer until his shadow seeped out across the floor to entrap both of them. Xavier wrinkled his nose as the primate's heated breath swirled around his head, the War Chief bending low before them. "I do wonder just how long that attitude will last. Voxus went almost six months before I... _pruned_ the crux of the problem."

Against his better judgment, Xavier risked tearing his eyes from the floor for a quick peek. Rakk and Kayla were mere inches apart, their eyes locked upon each other in an intense contest of wills. The poison dragon fidgeted, scooching himself a few inches away from the pair least he disturb either of them. On the opposite end of the table, the three captains watched silently, although Frenzy appeared to in the midst of unsuccessfully attempting to draw Karameko's attention to a rather rude hand signal he was in the process of making. Flicking his attention back to the thief and warlord, Xavier reflexively recoiled as Rakk shot one of his gargantuan hands forward. But instead of striking at the defiant shadow dragoness, he simply gave her a light pat on the head.

The effect was immediate, with Kayla gnashing her teeth and recoiling from the ape's touch, breaking eye contact as she did so. Black wing membranes strained against her iron corset as the dragoness quickly tried to regain face by chomping down on the offered limb, but it was already too late. Rakk had strode out of her immediate reach, pausing only to slide one of his many draconic tomes from the bookshelf as he passed. But the Warlord's nonchalant dismissal did little to quell Kayla's ever sharp tongue. "Touch me again you mangy dickwad, I dare you! I'll rip that arm into tiny little pieces! I'll tear that stupid scarred muzzle clean off! Just try me!"

"And there she goes again." Maim grumbled, crossing his arms as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"So enthusiastic too!" Frenzy cackled, one of his sheathed knives all but teleporting to his open hand. "Rakk, Sir, do you want me to shut her up for a bit?"

Caught in the middle of perusing the depths of the book he held, the War Chief blinked and turned to Frenzy as the smaller ape began creeping his way around the table to reach his targets. Before Rakk could even open his mouth to answer the demented captain, Kayla's ire seamlessly switched targets. "Oh that's rich, coming from a short stack like you. Did anyone else notice that Mr. Foaming-at-the-mouth is the only one here carrying weapons? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's compensating for something..."

"Who are you calling short you bit-"

"Oh, I am a bitch, and don't you forget it." Kayla interrupted, her unbridled fury enough to momentarily stun even Frenzy into silence.

Xavier could only sit there with his mouth agape. He would have never dreamed of responding in such a brazen manner, let alone fully embracing the insult about to be hurled at him. Once, he might have, but that was a long time ago. And he knew that for both of their sakes, Kayla could not afford to pay the same price. Snapping his jaws shut and reaching forward, Xavier briefly rested his paw on her shoulder. "Kayla, calm down, please!"

But to his dismay, she pushed him away, rising back to her feet and taking a few bold steps around the table until her back was to Rakk's lavish bedding and nightstand. "I mean, you all try to present yourselves as this really scary brigade of apes that are going to reemerge and take over the world. But what have any of you actually accomplished? Kidnapping two young dragons and sitting around picking your noses all day. And when I get free, I'll make sure each of you understands just how insignificant you really are."

A sudden hiss besides Xavier's left ear roused him out of his state of silent astonishment. Turning, he let out an involuntary gasp as he beheld Frenzy crouched right beside him, the ape's fur rustling as he shook in repressed rage. But for once, he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention towards Xavier, every last ounce of his fury directed at the insolent shadow dragoness before him. Anxiety clouded Xavier's thoughts as Frenzy made to draw out a second knife from his bandolier. _Do I warn her? No, she has to know what she's doing, but she doesn't understand just how a short a fuse Frenzy has. He'll gut her at this rate! What if I intercept him when he lunges? No, no, then I'll just get skewered instead. But wouldn't that be appropriate, since I'm the entire reason why she's-_

But even as Xavier helplessly deliberated with himself, Rakk snapped the book he was holding shut with a sudden crack. He stared down at Kayla with what could only be an ambivalent expression, his beady eyes darting up and down the dragoness's body. "When you get out of here... Am I to interpret that as you mean to bring an army of dragons from Warfang in order to obliterate us? To get your precious Guardians to leave their besieged city to wipe my clan off the map?"

"If that's what it takes. I'll stop at nothing to see this pathetic shanty town go up in flames." She replied, lowering herself into a defensive crouch as her crimson eyes swapped between the assembled apes. Xavier felt like he could cut the tension with a single claw swipe, each of the captains readying themselves for a fight if Kayla were to suddenly pounce. A blade in each hand, Frenzy squinted across the room towards the dragoness, likely pinpointing the optimal spot to sink his daggers into. Xavier felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared up at the pale bones suspended behind the black dragoness. It would be any second now, he was sure of it. But if he leapt to Kayla's aid, what would stop Rakk from breaking out the bone saw once more?

At last, Rakk raised a single hand and beckoned to his captains, motioning for them to stand down. Even as the apes eased off, the Warlord was suddenly all smiles once more. "I'm sure you'll try young one. Frenzy, please guide our articulate friend back over next to Voxus, I prefer to keep all my possessions together in one place. Gently, mind you." Rakk instructed, giving the black-furred captain a stern glance as he reluctantly sheathed his knives.

Frenzy gave an irritable grunt but compiled as he picked up the dragoness's leash, even as Kayla spat at the Warlord's feet. But she walked back to her assigned place of her own volition, mercifully realizing the folly of trying to aggravate Rakk. Not that that prevented Frenzy from giving a huge pull on the chain that nearly sent her sprawling into Xavier as she drew close. As the dragoness pulled herself back away from him with a growl towards the manically giggling captain, a sinking realization dawned on the poison dragon. He had just stood there as she stood her ground against their captors. _Again._ Kayla was right, he really was nothing more than a glorified pet.

 _Damn it, why can't I just... do something._ He mentally berated himself, carefully running a free paw over his face. Even before his captivity, Xavier had always been the one to just let abuse slide by. It had made him a childhood favorite for bullies, seeing as he just tried to cut through life unnoticed by those above him. He had briefly grown a spine back when the Viper's Fang first came calling, as the terrorizing took on a decidedly more lethal edge. But even that felt like a lifetime ago at this point. And it wasn't like those many escape attempts even won him anything of value, no matter how much effort or literal blood he put in.

"That actually serves as a nice segue into what I wanted to speak to you both about." Forcing himself to take in deep breaths, Xavier sat up a little straighter and drew himself back to the present. In an effort to silence the incessant doubts bouncing around his troubled mind, the alchemist jerked his head up to face the ape War Chief who was displaying the cover of his book for both of them to see. Doing his best to block out both the pale bones and the peculiar stare Kayla was giving him out of the corner of her eyes, Xavier scrutinized the volume. The book itself seemed simplistic enough, with a collection of eight separate emblems covering a rainbow of colors between them. From here, he could just barely make out the title: _The Tale of Eight._

Relieved to have an outlet to occupy his thoughts, Xavier gave a slight frown. He vaguely remembered reading a book with a similar title and design, it was a subject most hatchlings studied at some point in their schooling. If he recalled correctly, it was a description of how dragons had originally decided to choose a representative from each element to guide their future generations, a Guardian of that particular sect as it were. It was an old story to be sure, one that even predated the legend of purple dragons. What was Rakk even doing with what essentially amounted to a children's book?

Setting the novel back down on the already cluttered table, the Warlord adopted his renown lecturing intonations. "Now, would either of you care to explain to us just what these..." Rakk gave a theatrical pause as he callously flipped open the cover of the book open again as he gave the first page a summary glance. "...Elemental Guardians of yours are? Be sure to explain plainly enough for us simpleton apes to understand if you would."

Xavier pursed his lips, still not quite getting where Rakk was going with this. Wasn't this supposed to be a strategy summit between the military leaders of the clan? From somewhere behind him, he felt something sharp poke at the scales along his tail, Kayla using her tail blade to try and convey a covert message to him. With a sidelong glance, he saw that she was staring straight on at the four primates, head still held high. Unsure of what she was attempting to tell him, the poison dragon finally cleared his throat. "The Guardians are considered the pinnacle of their respective elements, the masters of that particular brand of magic. But they also take on a prominent leadership role, especially in trying times."

As Rakk nodded along with Xavier's explanation, the dragon winced as a much more forceful prod raked across his hind quarters. Glancing back to Kayla, he faltered momentarily as she gave him a disapproving glare. Lowering his voice, he gave an apologetic half-shrug. "Don't give me that look, he already knows. This is all just a big show." The shadow dragoness gave a dubious snort before Rakk's boisterous voice snared both of their attentions once more.

"A big show? Well Vox, if you think that way, maybe I should just cut to the chase." Rakk sighed, idly running a hand down his scarred muzzle. As he passed the last of the numerous scars dotting his visage, he leveled a finger at the two dragons. "What I really want to know is where are _your_ Guardians?"

Xavier almost replied immediately before he caught himself. So this was a strategy meeting, the Viper's Fang were planning to go on the march once more. And with the leaders of the dragon alliance in their crosshairs. But something still seemed off. It was too simple a question, one which Xavier was almost positive the War Chief already had the answer to. Just what was he trying to get at?

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that a sudden voice from beside him caused him to flinch. "Still in Warfang, trying to hold off against the Dark Master's siege." Kayla informed, the barest hints of a smile curling past her lips. "You flea-ridden morons should head there right now, it's lovely this time of year. Be sure to check out the defensive cannons atop the walls when you do, I'm sure the moles will give you an excellent demonstration on how they work."

Rakk gave a bark of laughter. "Oh no, I quite like having a head attached to my shoulders Black Wing. Indeed, even without the presence of the second hostile army currently besieging the city, conquering Warfang with just the Viper's Fang would take a strategist far beyond my own abilities."

"We can take them Sir!" Frenzy proclaimed, eagerly rocking back and forth from his spot on the table.

"It's not... impossible." Maim interjected, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "If we could lure the Guardians outside of the walls, it would only take a single poisoned bolt in the right spot to send them toppling down. The city would follow shortly." The captain gave a thoughtful grunt and nodded towards the Warlord. "But knowing you, the actual plan is probably a lot more elegant than that." On Maim's other side, Karameko nodded in agreement, his eyes glued to the map taking up most of the table.

Rakk gave a genuine smile as he appraised his loyal lieutenants. "I do appreciate the enthusiasm, and your appraisal of the situation is always welcome my old friend. But you'll have to forgive me for saying that I believe everyone here has misinterpreted my question. I asked specifically where _their_ Guardians were, not the pitiful excuses still clinging on to a broken city."

 _Wait, was Rakk talking about-_

"Last I checked," the ape continued on, not even giving Xavier a moment to comprehend the revelation. "Voxus here was our supplier of potions and poisons alike. While Black Wing still seems to have a bad habit of jumping into shadows when some of the younger members of the clan just want to introduce themselves. Correct me if I'm wrong, but neither of those elemental abilities seem covered by the Fire, Earth, Electric, and Ice Guardians currently alive today."

"So what you're asking is..." Xavier paused, furrowing his brow as he considered Rakk's words. "Why aren't there any Poison or Shadow Guardians?"

"Exactly!" Rakk waved a triumphant finger in the air. "Why do some elements get masters and leaders, and that all prestige, but others are left to fend for themselves? Even though this delightful storybook proclaims that all elements are equal for the itsy-bitsy dragon hatchlings to read." The Warlord couldn't help but let a touch a snide glee from his voice as he once again held _The Tale of Eight_ aloft.

The lack of Guardians was something Xavier recalled wondering about as a child. In their isolated community, his mother and himself had been the only poison dragons, while it seemed like almost everyone else belonged to one of the primary four elements. There were a few exceptions of course, like the wizened old wind dragon that had run the local bakery, but no one else ever seemed to think the lack of those rarer elements was in any way abnormal. He once heard that Warfang actually had a relatively large community of minority element dragons living within its walls, maybe there were non-Guardian teachers there for his element. As it were, outside of the lessons his mother had passed down to him, most of what Xavier learned about his powers came from long hours of experimentation. If it hadn't been for the tutelage of the town doctor, he'd probably would have never progressed past the point of just flinging globs of acid everywhere.

Next to him, Kayla appeared to be grappling with similar reservations. Tilting her head to the side, she cast an unfocused gaze at the table leg closest to her, apparently lost in thought. It dawned on Xavier that he really had no idea where or how she had grown up. Did she have a large community of shadow dragons, still awaiting her return? Or had she been as isolated as he had been, with no one outside of her immediate family to confide in? Or maybe she had spent most of her life in and out of jail thanks to her self-proclaimed expertise at thievery.

Resolving to ask her later, even though he would probably only get a verbal lashing and a punch to the shoulder for his trouble, Xavier returned to the matter at hand. As the storybook stated, Guardianhood had started out with representatives for all eight elements, including the so called minority elements of Poison, Wind, Fear, and Shadow. But something wiped out that half of the rooster, a great conflict against a powerful new threat. A threat that had continued to haunt the dragon empire all the way up to this day...

"With all due respect Sir, why did you even drag them up here if you're just going to ask boring questions about the ancient bags of bones leading these overgrown lizards?" Frenzy moaned from the sidelines, managing to simultaneously draw the hateful gazes of both Kayla and Karameko.

Before either of them could respond with their own choice insults, Xavier found his voice again. "Wait, I got it!" He blurted out, narrowly suppressing a shiver as all eyes in the room settled on him. Giving a nervous smile at all the sudden attention, the poison dragon idly twirled a paw as the knowledge slowly came back to him. "I remember learning about this in school. There used to be eight Guardians, but all the minority element ones were killed in a great battle a few centuries ago. I think it was..." Xavier paused and looked back up, cocking his head as he met Rakk's expectant gaze. "It was the first war with the Dark Master, wasn't it?"

"That's why I like you Vox, such a compact little encyclopedia." Rakk chuckled, lightly rapping the table with a gentle fist. The captains each stood at attention as Rakk shuffled through some of the other tomes and scrolls already spread out on the table. Carefully unfurling a particularly cracked and worn piece of parchment, the War Chief motioned for his subordinates to cluster in for a better look, Rakk drawing a fingernail across whatever was depicted on the reverse side. The captains seemed moderately intrigued by the scroll, although Frenzy gave a particularly foul snarl as he gazed upon it. Despite having his curiosity thoroughly peeked, Xavier remained exactly where he was, even as Kayla grumbled and lazily stretched besides him.

"Our alchemist is quite correct, those particular Guardians were wiped out long before any our grandparent's grandparents were even conceived." The self-proclaimed scholar expounded, nodding along to his own speech as he stared at the parchment. "Lost in the first ever struggle between dragon and ape. Under the iron claws of the Dark Master himself I believe. But that wasn't his name back then, was it?" Stepping back away from the table with the paper still in hand, Rakk smiled down at the two dragons. "Well Voxus, do you recall that particular bit of trivia?"

The emerald dragon could only shake his head. As far as he knew, the history books only ever called the malevolent being The Dark Master. The most devout of his disciples were household names, such as Cynder and Gaul, but their master remained shrouded in mystery. No other title had been used, no name ever given. To be completely honest, Xavier couldn't even recall the species of the largest threat to all their continued existence. He supposed it hadn't really mattered at the time, the Dark Master was just... evil. That was all that a no-name like himself ever needed to know.

Towering over the pair once again, Rakk twisted the scroll around so that they could both see what was inscribed upon it. It was a drawing, depicted in crude strokes of black ink. Rows upon rows of apes were all shown hunched low, only distinguishable by wisps of hair protruding from each of their bowed backs. But what instantly drew Xavier's eye was the subject of their reverence, the imposing figure standing regally on a stone pillar. It was a dragon, an adult with a muscular build and adorned with a set of towering horns. The figure stood with a foreleg raised, the paw clenched into a fist as waves of some sort of energy washed across his assembled subjects. But this couldn't be right, had the dragons been fighting against one of their own this whole time?

"His name is Malefor." Rakk proclaimed, smirking at Xavier's evident confusion. "Exiled to a different plane of existence after wiping out half of the elemental Guardians and uniting all the various ape clans into a single dread army to obey his every whim. Slaves, the whole lot of them." Turning the parchment back around, Rakk sighed and gave his head a sad shake. "But then again, I wasn't alive back when this sorrowful day took place. I can't say I would have done any better when confronted with the full power of a purple dragon."

"Oh not you too." Kayla let out an exasperated groan and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is it something in the water? Why does everyone here believe every single asinine fairy tale that reaches their ears?"

"Oh, they're very real young one. Real, and extraordinarily powerful." Rakk shifted his weight apprehensively, looking back down at the depiction of Malefor's ascension with a slight frown. "In my life, I have had the privilege of glimpsing not one, but two such dragons. Each wielding enough raw power to annihilate this entire clan with a snap of their claws. They are not to be dismissed as mere legends."

"Hold on, you saw two different-"

"But Sir, you only mentioned-"

Rakk silenced both Xavier and Maim Wind with a wave of his paw, leaving the two of them to exchange uneasy, but concordant glances. "This is not a subject I care to discuss at this time, as it is only tangentially related to why I called you all here." Rakk dismissed, setting the parchment down at last as he scouted about for his next teaching aid. "I will only say that each side of the Great War has one. There's the recently revived Dark Master sitting atop his sinister mountain, and the teenage whelp opposing him, born the very same year as our two guests." The Warlord finished with a jerk of the head towards the stunned dragons.

Xavier's thoughts raced around at breakneck speed, rapidly processing the new information. So it hadn't been just optimistic hearsay, there actually was a purple dragon fighting for their freedom. And while that certainly didn't explain the three year absence that Kayla had relayed to him, Xavier knew somewhere deep in his gut that the mythical dragon hadn't given up. If Rakk was still worried about him, he must still be out there, and with more than enough strength to liberate both him and Kayla in a single fell swoop should they cross paths. It was a long shot, but it was another tiny ember of hope quietly blossoming in Xavier's chest.

Still, it was best to stick to their current plan at the moment. The world was a big place, especially if the friendly purple dragon was fighting on a far-off battlefield against the Dark Mas-... Malefor's forces. Clamping his jaw shut to prevent his expression from betraying him, Xavier twisted his head to see how the shadow dragoness was taking the news. As he had grown to expect, a dubious expression remained plastered across her features as she scowled up at Rakk. Well, he supposed the ape leader that took her captive wasn't typically viewed as the most reliable source of information. She probably wouldn't believe it until she saw it with her own two eyes. Assuming she lived that long...

 _No, stop it, the plan will work this time._ Xavier squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of doubt swelled anew. Just out of sight, he could feel the wing bones jeering at him, a reminder of the last time he felt sure an escape plan would work. But this time was different, he was no longer alone. This time _had_ to be different.

"So if I may summarize the situation," Karameko spoke up, his eyebrows blending together in concentration as he fully turned towards Rakk for the first time that night. "From our point of view, it doesn't matter who wins the Great War. The victor will still one day stumble across our home and destroy us with the might of a purple dragon, no matter how fanatically we defend ourselves."

The War Chief gave an assenting grunt. "Precisely. And while I'm while I'm sure the purple dragons are not invulnerable, I would prefer to have a trump card in store before we have to face one. After years of reading and rereading my rather impressive archive, I've come to the conclusion that the chaos yesterday was Malefor and the new purple dragon finally engaging each other directly. While I don't know who the ultimate victor of such a titanic clash was, it's clear that we can no longer afford to idly stand by. If we are to secure a future for our children in this heartless world, we must act without delay."

Silence reigned in the tree hut, punctuated only by a soft breeze and the fluttering of the candles housed in the lanterns scattered around the room. Just when Xavier was about to speak up himself, Frenzy beat him to the punch. Pounding against the table with both of his fists, the black-furred ape grinned at his commander. "I love a good challenge. Well Sir, how are we going to do it? What's our trump card?"

"I've heard rainbows are an excellent defense against purple dragon attacks. You should really look into that." Kayla joked with smug grin, her nonchalant attitude returning in full force. While the corner of his mouth briefly twitched upwards, Xavier shot a reproachful glare at the carefree dragoness besides him. Was she actually trying to provoke an attack?

Frenzy was already at his breaking point. "Hey!" He shouted, bolting up on top of the table with a flourish that sent a pile of loosely stacked scrolls sliding to the ground. "Show Rakk the respect he deserves you crystal-sucking-"

"Enough!" The rest of Frenzy's insult died in his throat as Rakk's thundering shout filled the room. The ape's upper lip curled as he looked between the two culprits, the pure malice he gave off enough to even make Kayla back off. "I have had it with both of you tonight, I do not care to be interrupted anymore. Black Wing, you're on thin ice. And Frenzy, I'm more offended that you think I am fragile enough to warrant defending from this child's schoolyard insults."

Thoroughly cowed by the sudden reprimand, Frenzy blubbered thorough an attempted apology. "S-Sir, I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"And get off the table before you damage anything else." Rakk shorted, craning his neck to insect the new tear in the map next to the captain's outstretched foot. Head bowed low, Frenzy slowly climbed back down from the table, shielding his eyes from Maim's disappointed shake of the head and Karameko's contented smirk. But even as Kayla seemed to take heart at the captain's humiliation, Xavier knew better. The dark look Frenzy was giving the shadow dragoness from under his hood was far more chilling than any of Rakk's bouts of anger.

Calming himself with a few steady breaths, Rakk finally seemed to shift back into his astute demeanor. "As I was saying, I was quite at a loss for what do when faced with such a threat. Despite the effectiveness of Voxus' brews, it would be folly to assume that they alone could do the task of slaying such a robust foe. But then, I happened to stumble across the solution."

Selecting another scroll from the table, Rakk gave it a series of firm taps to knock loose the accumulated ash clinging to the parchment. "As most of you are aware, three years ago on the eve of the Eternal Night, I utilized the confusion caused by the new purple dragon's attack to slip away into Gaul's quarters. With the revelations I uncovered there, I was able to convince War Chief Stone Wall, rest his soul, to take the clan from the mountain at once before the Dark Master returned to properly enslave us. But aside from learning the truth, I also absconded with a number of confidential transcriptions of secret messages passed down to our figure-head of an ape king from his master. This one in particular caught my eye."

Unfurling the scroll, Rakk cleared his throat and began to read:

 _My most loyal servant,_

 _There is a location on the Southern Coast that may be of great interest to both myself and our enemies. While it has lain dormant for centuries, it should not be discovered by the dragons prior to my return to this world. In light of the recent loss of Cynder, dispatch a few dozen of your finest troops with ample dreadwing steeds in her stead. Do not send so much as to draw any undue attention, but monitor this location until I command otherwise._

Crinkling the worn text closed again, Rakk gave a wide grin to his rapt audience. "I wondered for the longest time what the all powerful Dark Master could be so worried about. Some ancient power to rival his own perhaps? Something that could threaten his hold over the apes if any of us were smart enough to use it against him? This," Rakk let out a hearty laugh, "this is what we will find out. And if fortune smiles down at us, we will finally discover an answer to the dragon problem."

No one dared speak. While Rakk expectantly swept his head back and forth between the assembled group, none of the captains made to congratulate him, nor either of the dragons to antagonize. Even the usual undying fanaticism of Frenzy seemed to be sputtering, the smaller ape scratching underneath his hood as he squinted at the map splayed out across the table. At last, Karameko cleared his throat. "Aside from not knowing what we might find, do we even know where on the Southern Coast this point lies?"

"A-ha!" Rakk exclaimed, delighted that someone had finally risen to the bait. "And here is where our little discussion comes full circle. For while a map was not included with this intriguing letter, I have divined the precise location through many months of arduous research." With a triumphant flare, Rakk slammed down a silver trinket in the likeness of a rearing dragon down onto the table. "There! That's where we'll find this mysterious treasure trove. I'm sure of it."

Tentatively rising up from his seated position, Xavier attempted to peek at where precisely Rakk had placed the totem. Kayla seemed mildly interested as well, although she made a point to feign a disinterested air by remaining seated. Not that he was able to tell much of anything from here with the map laying flat, and he certainly wasn't going to ask if he could get a closer look. But if he were to estimate the relative distance from the wooden token of the Viper's Fang sigil marking their current location, it looked to be a good few weeks march away, terrain notwithstanding.

"So?" Maim asked, crossing his arms as he drew back from the table. "I still don't like the prospect of making a trip like that without knowing what's at the end. And how much are you planning on mobilizing for this excursion? We can't afford to leave Blood Hollow defenseless either."

Rakk waved away the Maim Wind's concerns. "I was picturing roughly fifty percent of our military and supporting personnel would suffice. Regardless, I need all three of you along with me, so I would like for some nominations among each of your vice captains to put in charge of the home garrison while we're gone. As for what we're looking for..." The Warlord's eyes slid back to the two dragons, causing a sudden shiver to race up Xavier's spine. "I'll ask one last time. Just where are _your_ Guardians, young ones?"

Even while Kayla rolled her eyes, everything clicked into place for Xavier. The recounting of the first war with the Dark Master, the odd focus on long dead Guardians, even the conspicuous lack of detail in the missive to Gaul. No other civilized creature had anywhere close to the amount of mastery over magic that dragons possessed. And if the ancestors created something that could counter the elemental power of a dragon, where exactly would his compatriots keep it stored away? "You're going after The Dragon Temple." Xavier marveled, the truth doing little to quiet the dull throb of dread. "You think there's something there that can help you stand up to a purple dragon. A weapon."

" _A_ Dragon Temple Vox, not _The_. And here I was thinking you were the only one following along." Rakk corrected with a rueful grin. "Your kind used to have dozens of these vanity-inducing monstrosities dotting the land. While that number has been whittled down to just a solitary remainder for the entirety of our lifetimes, that's not to say that there aren't a few old husks still carrying what I'm sure are marvelous treasures. And as it just so happens," Rakk tapped the silver dragon on the table once more. "All my findings say that this site was where your elements were practiced. At least before it was practically wiped off the map in the first war against Malefor. Aren't you a tad bit curious to find what's got the Dark Master so worried about someone stumbling across it?"

Had Xavier not been a literal prisoner and discovered such a conspiracy himself, it may have piqued his interest. Maybe not enough to make him leave the comforts of his home for the perilous wilds, but it certainly would have been an entertaining brain teaser. But now, if there was even the slightest chance Rakk was right, Xavier knew the ape couldn't be allowed to get his hands on it. That would mean eternal enslavement for him, and doom for the purple hero currently out there trying to save the world. A single though reverberated through his head, almost surprising the poison dragon with its intensity. _I can't let him win. Not this time._

The sudden determination was shattered by a sudden shriek from besides him. Alarmed, Xavier sprang to his feet only to behold the shadow dragoness doubled over, exhilarated laughter quickly filling the otherwise silent hut. Something didn't quite sound right through, the sound was unusually harsh and grating against Xavier's ears. Almost like it was forced...

"So let me get this straight," Kayla rose to her feet and began striding around the table closer to the affronted War Chief for the second time that night. "You don't know what's there, most of your information is based in children's books, and you're risking half of your troops for some sort of fantastical voodoo charm that can scare away a violet dragon, or whatever they're called. Wow." Stopping again so that her back was now to Rakk's bedding, the dragoness could only shake her head in amazement. "I've heard of some dumb apes in my day, but this has to take the cake."

"I believe it's a reasonable gamble." Rakk countered, glowering down at the insolent dragoness. "Why else would Malefor send additional security to an otherwise unremarkable stretch of coastline? Why would he prioritize the destruction of this temple and their users in the first place so long ago? Black Wing, I have to imagine that you have never once used that conniving brain of yours to imagine something beyond your own pathetically miniscule view of the world."

"Oh no, I actually grew past the age of five and stopped believing everything my mother told me." She replied, the sarcasm having evidently been honed over a lifetime of practice. "Do you even hear yourself? Even assuming something is there, it's been centuries. This may surprise someone of your astounding intellect, but time doesn't just leave things as they are for that long. But who knows? Maybe the powers of the specially orange-colored purple dragon repellent are just fine after all these years."

Xavier winced as Kayla finished her delivery. For just once, could she please notice him silently signaling her to remain silent? Thankfully, Rakk only gave a weary sigh and rubbed his eyes with a free paw. "If this is some poorly thought out attempt to dissuade me from pursuing this course of action, I must inform you-"

"Oh no no no, don't get me wrong." Kayla quickly backtracked, although a mischievous grin still lurked around her face. "I want you to go. Heck, just fifty percent of your troops? Why not muster the entire clan? Take all of them along on this death march across half a continent. Just so that when you get where you're going, and there's nothing but sand and ocean there to show for it, you have to turn to all of them and admit that you were wrong. Shit, I might just be tempted to delay my own escape attempt just so I can be there too. So that I can watch each and every one of these stinking apes find out that you are beyond any doubt the most foolhardy, completely moronic-"

"SHUT UP!"

There was a sudden explosion of motion out of the peripherals of Xavier's vision as something furry and black shot past him, effortlessly bowling the poison dragon aside. The other simians cried out in alarm as the rattle of a chain briefly filled the air before silencing with a hearty twang. Picking himself off the floor, Xavier gasped at the gruesome sight before him. Frenzy was standing besides Rakk's bed, a taut chain resting against his hips as he manhandled the impudent dragoness. Her mouth was open as if to scream, but no noise came out as Frenzy's right hand firmly wrapped around her throat. But then Xavier noticed the other hand, the appendage gripped the hilt of a dagger already buried halfway into Kayla's shoulder. There was blood, lots of blood, fluttering to the floor in tiny specks of red as it flaked off the dragoness's forearm.

Both Rakk and the other captains were calling his name, but the deranged primate was beyond reasoning. "DON'T INSULT RAKK! HE'S SMARTER THAN A SCALIE LIKE YOU WILL EVER BE!" The ape all but screamed into her face, twisting the knife another few centimeters even as Kayla screwed her eyes shut from the pain. "IF HE SAYS IT'LL WORK, THEN IT'LL WORK! IT WILL!"

Looking back, Xavier didn't quite recall what went through his mind. Realistically, he knew he had to have noticed the other apes moving to break up the fight. Internally, he could see that although incredibly painful, the knife was far enough from any major organs or arteries to not to be in direct danger to her life. Physically, he knew that even for someone as small as Frenzy, it would be a miracle for Xavier to even hope to dislodge the primate from his stranglehold. And most importantly, ever fiber of his being was telling him not to take another step towards the sun-bleached bones hanging over the scuffle. But somehow, none of that occurred to him until much later. Right then, he only knew that if he did nothing one more time, he would never live it down.

"Let her go!" Xavier's own voice rang out, even as he collided with the snarling captain. With not even enough wits about himself to even consider using his element, the dragon settled on the next best thing and dug his razor sharp talons deep into the ape's lightly armored shoulder. The claws easily sliced through the leather and into the flesh below, earning Xavier a brief howl of pain from Frenzy. Releasing his stranglehold on Kayla, who desperately sucked in lungfuls of air, the primate twisted towards his assailant, hand reaching towards the poison dragon's exposed face...

"That's enough!" Another hand tightened around the back of Xavier's neck and hauled him backwards, leaving the dragon in a crumpled heap on the floor. Attempting to rise again, Xavier was stopped by a shaggy foot on his chest, the toenails scraping against his scales as he struggled futility beneath it. Swiveling his head up, Xavier beheld Rakk lording over him, although the Warlord's attention was currently elsewhere. Following the ape's despondent gaze, Xavier watched Frenzy get wrestled to the ground by both Maim Wind and Karameko, the latter landing what looked like a harsh blow directly to Frenzy's face as they struggled to subdue the raging simian. Finally, Xavier glanced towards Kayla only to find her in a disheveled mess besides the bed, her eyes squeezed shut and her face scrunched up as she attempted to ride out the pain. The wound on her right arm bleed freely, as the dragoness didn't even attempt to use her other forepaw to stem the flow.

After a stern glance down at the dragon he had pinned beneath him, Rakk relented and stepped off, jerking his head towards Kayla as he did so. As the Warlord stalked over to his insubordinate captain, Xavier slowly crawled over to where the dragoness lay. Giving her a gentle tap on the horns, he waited until she cracked open her eyes to acknowledge him before motioning to her wounded shoulder. "Just lie still, it looks worse than it is, trust me." He muttered, even as he narrowly suppressed a grimace at the sight of one of her scales dangling on by a thread of flesh following the ravaging of the ape's blade.

"Easy for you to say." She replied blearily, closing her eyes and laying her head back down on the ground. Peering down at the wound, Xavier noted with some dismay that the knife appeared to have gone down until it hit bone, slicing through both scale and sinew as it went. Even with his best treatments, this wouldn't heal quickly, and may leave her with both a noticeable scar and slight limp. Unless...

"How is she?"

Snapping out of his contemplation, Xavier nearly sprained his neck as his head whipped around to see Rakk looming besides them, the Warlord's presence for once lacking the overwhelming force it usually carried. Behind him, Xavier spotted Frenzy propped up against on of the walls of the hut under the scathing gaze of Karameko, the smaller ape sniveling and nursing both his own punctured upper arm and a number of rapidly swelling bruises. Turning back to the War Chief, Xavier recited his diagnosis. "She'll live, but I'd like some red gems for treatment. The dagger cut through a number of muscles, it'll impede her movement for some time and possibly leave permanent damage."

Rakk grunted, looking up and away as he weighed his options. "No." He finally stated, the answer not surprising Xavier in the slightest. "She'll already be getting personal treatment from one of the clan's best doctor, I'm sure you'll do just fine without the gems. But it does look like I'll have to cut this meeting short. Maim!" Despite the compliment hidden the ape's words, the emerald dragon let out a disappointed sigh. While he hadn't exactly lied, it had been worth a shot now that he knew Rakk kept a stash tucked away for such occasions. Unfortunately, it didn't appear as though the policy for their distribution covered damage caused by other members of the clan.

Maim Wind snapped to attention as Rakk barked out his name. Gesturing down to the prone dragons, Rakk relayed his orders even though it was nothing more than a formality at this point judging by the way the other ape was already busying himself with untying the other end of the chain.. "Escort our two charges back to their hovel, and express my wishes that no one bothers them in morning."

As the chain clinked and rattled to life, Xavier hesitated as he made to rise to his feet, casting an uncertain glance down at the dragoness drawing in ragged breaths beside him. To his astonishment, she made the first move, hooking her good arm around his neck as she staggered to her feet. "You were exaggerating all that stuff, right?" She slurred, her tightly closed fist bumping against Xavier's left shoulder as he grunted under the unexpected weight. She certainly looked out of it, likely experiencing the beginnings of shock now that the attack was over. Deciding that he didn't have any comforting answers, the poison dragon merely maneuvered his newest patient towards the door, while Maim waited patiently waited besides the table with the leash now clasped in one of his hands.

"...after Black Wing returns the knife she stole from Captain Frenzy." Xavier came to a sudden halt, even while Kayla gave a sudden intake of breath. Rakk was still watching them, his fingers drumming out a stochastic tempo on his leg following his abrupt accusation. Xavier waited for the dragoness to retort with another stinging insult, but she remained silent, her suddenly much more alert eyes now glowering at the Viper's Fang patriarch with renewed fury.

There was a shuffle of movement from the other side of the room as Frenzy sudden sprung back to life, running a hand across his bandolier of knives. Upon discovering that one of his smaller blades was indeed missing from the end of his belt, the ape's jaw dropped open. "How did-" He started to say as he struggled to rise to his feet, only to be stopped by a rumbling growl from Karameko.

"How did that happen?! Isn't it obvious?" Rakk thundered, his anger resurfacing in an instant as he rounded on the cowering ape. "She's been trying to bait you into moving into her reach all night! This is what I've been trying to teach you all these years Frenzy. Think! All I ask is that you THINK before you ACT! If you let your enemies get under your skin so easily, then they've practically won already." Frenzy gave an uncharacteristic whimper, drawing his legs up to his chest doing his best to conceal his lengthy nose in their dark confines.

Snapping back to the pair of dragons, Rakk stuck out an expectant palm. "The knife. Now."

Kayla stared at the Warlord for a solid ten seconds, the only indicator of her true feelings being the slowly tightening embrace she was drawing Xavier into and her tail coiling into a tightly packed roll behind her. At last, Xavier felt the dragoness loosen her left arm, something metallic briefly scraping against his scales as she manipulated what was held in her tightly closed fist. With a spiteful flick, the three inch blade clattered to the floor at Rakk's feet, even she pushed away from Xavier to stand on her own three paws once more.

Relieved of her weight, the dragon tilted his head to look at the offending dagger. As he noted the slick sheen on the blade, his breath catching in his throat. _The knife's coated in the same anti-corrosive finish as her chain. She only grabbed it because I asked her to. This... this is my fault..._

Like a vengeful specter, the deathly display above Rakk's bed emerged from his subconsciousness, bones of white now speckled with flecks of red.

Stooping to pick up the stolen weapon, Rakk let out a contented chuckle, his good humor back in full force having thwarted the thief's plans. "It was an admirable attempt my dear. It almost would have worked if I hadn't been paying close attention to your little altercation. That, and why else would you offer an uninjured limb to Voxus if not to use his body to help conceal your prize?"

"Fuck you." The dragoness's curt reply held nothing but pure contempt for the primate, even as it was somewhat undermined by a slight sway in her stature and the small pool of blood collected at her feet. Rakk only chuckled in response, giving the dragons a cheery wave as Maim slowly led them back out into the cool night.

Minutes later, the cell door clanged shut, the sullen captain stomping away through the door as the two prisoners looked on. With Maim having passed on Rakk's orders to both Mourn and the other members of the dragon guard, Xavier could for once rest assured that they would not be disturbed. Not that it was any comfort, as he gave a nervous glance to the dragoness that had limped her way to the nest underneath the barred window where she now lay. Clutching the still bleeding incision with her free forepaw, Kayla was quiet, her eyes shut once again as she focused on drawing in regular breaths.

Despite knowing that he needed to gather his medical supplies, as well a lantern, Xavier still dawdled, uncertain if he should even approach the dragoness. _She blames me for this, I know she does. Why? Why?_ _ **Why**_ _? Why can't I do anything right? Every time I try, it always goes wrong! And now she'll hate me even more! And now, why would she even bother to bring help for a pathetic, shit-scaled-_

"Hey." Xavier's eyes shot up as she spoke, the tone of her voice much more subdued than his berating psyche had expected. Kayla didn't rise or make any effort to so much as look at him, the only movement being the steady rise and fall of her chest. "Go... Go get the red gems. Just one though, they'll be suspicions otherwise."

Meekly nodding his head, Xavier slunk back out of the cell, not trusting himself to speak. After a breathless moment of digging through his stink bomb cache, he came up with a suitably sized ruby that should at least ensure that the shadow dragoness's muscles knitted back together while still leaving plenty of believable damage behind for the apes to see. With a some proper care and little luck, the only other remnant of this colossal screw-up of his would be yet another scar. _As if I haven't already given her enough..._ Pausing only to snag his medical satchel, he returned to her, averting his eyes as soon as he noticed she had sat up a bit and was watching him with her two crimson orbs.

Sliding the red gem over to her, he began unpacking his supplies, the brief flash of light as she absorbed the crystal's energies only serving to remind him that he had neglected to fetch a light source as well. _Not that that's any surprise, of course I'd forget._ His brow furrowed as the darkened thoughts circled around him like a pack of starving death hounds. _I ought to be fine for a bit, she needs me to treat and patch up the stab wound after all. But once that's done, she'll tear into me. Claws, tail, maybe even teeth if she's really pissed. Damn it, we had just worked out a deal and everything. I can't do anything right, even if I did escape I'd only screw things up elsewhere. I really am just a dragon wannabe, I'd probably be better off alone if I did somehow get out. Why would someone like the purple dragon even bother with some cowardly worm like me? Why-_

"Hey! I asked you a question." A sharp snap next to his ear knocked him out of his trance. Immediately cowering away from what he was sure was an impending claw swipe, he cautiously peeked at the dragoness from behind the rather flimsy cover of his remaining wing.

But the blow never came, Kayla's bloodied claws hovering uncertainly before her as she cocked her head at his antics. Realizing that he had no clue what she had even said in the first place, Xavier could only stammer out a dull "W-what?" in response.

"I said, all you need is some nice shiny metal like my chain, right?" The dragoness pressed. There was certainly a lot a pain and frustration packed into her voice, but it slowly dawned on Xavier that for once, none of it was directed at him.

Slowly lowering his grey wing down a shade, it was Xavier's turn to tilt his head at the dragoness. "Yeah, that's what I said. B-but the knife... you had to give it back!"

And despite all the countless revelations and moments of unbridled terror of the night, nothing could have prepared Xavier for what happened next.

Kayla smiled.

"Well, I'd say it's a good thing he didn't make me give back this too." Still wearing the satisfied smirk, she pointed a single claw back towards her hind quarters. As the astounded poison dragon watched, the tail that had been tightly coiled ever since Frenzy's assault slowly unraveled, revealing a flash of reflected light off the twin moons gleaming through the window as it did so. And there, dangling on the end of the fish hook like tail blade, was some sort of small metallic gadget.

Xavier sat absolutely still, his mouth lamely hanging open for the umpteenth time as he took in the sight before him. Glancing back and forth between the stolen trinket and the dragoness's contented grin, Xavier let out something between a sigh of relief and an exclamation of joy as he surged back to his feet. His feet invigorated by new determination, he dashed back into the storeroom, frantically rummaging around for the candle and fire starter he knew he had hanging around somewhere. Barely able to contain his excitement at the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she had what he needed, he blurted out a tad louder than was advisable. "But... How? When? I- I just don't... How did you pull that off?"

Kayla waited until he returned to answer, making sure to pointedly lower her voice as she responded to his enthusiastic inquires. "It was just sitting there on that Sakk of Crap's night stand. It was practically begging to be stolen. And for some reason, no one ever thinks to check the tail."

Gently placing the candle next to the momentarily forgotten first aid kit, Xavier fumbled with the flint and steel, eager to see if Kayla's risk had paid off. But even as he worked, his mind was quick to put together the rest of the pieces. "So then Frenzy was just a diversion. An excuse for you to get to that end of the room without arousing suspicion. So that's why you always walked in that direction whenever you began provoking him!"

"Bingo." The thief replied, although a renewed grimace quickly replaced her smug expression as she cradled her injured shoulder once more. "Although I didn't plan on the midget bastard actually stabbing me. At least I was able to snag one of his daggers a fail-safe. If only that War Chief of yours was as smart as he thought he was."

The candle flickered into life, the meager flame held aloft as Xavier gripped the crude plate the dripping pillar of wax sat upon. Holding it close to the dragoness's tail, the last of Xavier's trepidations faded away in an instant. The intricately woven metal was exactly what he was looking for, there was no doubt that this would be an almost perfect facsimile for Kayla's reinforced chain. The tool was a rather simple one, with two handles held together by a spring and a thin strand of metal that had allowed Kayla to effortlessly slip the tip of her tail blade into the loop. On the other end of the spring was what appeared to be a solid beak, although the thin crack running along the few inches of metal told Xavier that it was designed to split apart when pressure was applied to the handles. It was curious though, what would something like this be doing just sitting on the War Chief's end table? And what was that indiscriminate grey blob residing half way down the tip...

His fervor somewhat diminished, he quickly withdrew before he could touch the offered bounty to Kayla's sudden disappointment. "Don't tell me I got stabbed for some piece of ape junk." She warned, her whispered voice suddenly dead serious as she strained to gauge his expression in the dim light.

"No, no, it's perfect, almost exactly like your chain." Xavier reassured, although Kayla still squinted warily at him. "It's just..." He paused, struggling with the best way to put this rather peculiar situation. "I would really prefer it if you washed it off a bit before I handled it myself."

Any last traces of cordiality dropped from the dragoness's face with all the speed of a candle being snuffed out. "What did I just pick up? What is-" Kayla cringed, shooting a disgusted look at the device still suspended by her blade. "What exactly would an ape keep next to his bed anyway?"

"It's a sort of... grooming tool." Xavier cautiously replied, although his statement appeared that only deepen the revulsion beginning to spread across the other dragon's face. Suppressing the mental images the tool conjured, Xavier reflected that the more extravagant noses of the apes didn't come without some additional requirements to hygiene. "Nothing to be really worried about, but... just make sure you scrub it thoroughly."

Least he become a target once more, Xavier quickly busied himself with properly preparing a bandage for the shadow dragoness's injury. But as he clutched a worn wrap of linen close to his chest, he found himself feeling something that he hadn't dare let himself genuinely feel for years. Hope. Hope that this crazy plan might just work after all. Hope that he could make amends for past mistakes and genuinely help others in need. Hope that out there, somewhere, there was a purple dragon still willing to fight for both their lives and their freedom.

Hope, that one way or another, a brighter tomorrow awaited him if he just had the strength to see it.

…...

…...

…...

"Xavier, I swear by the ancestors, if you don't tell me which part of the body this thing is meant to be stuck, I will shove it right down your stinking throat!"


	10. Masks

**Chapter 10 – Masks**

 _Well, well, well, aren't you chipper this morning! My guards tell me you managed to give one of the... denser apes quite the thrashing last night._

… _..._

… _..._

 _Not in the mood for talking today? Fine, it'll just save me the trouble of having to forcibly rip the air from your lungs. Then again, I do like to see you struggle..._

… _..._

… _..._

 _Why do you persist? Do you really expect to get out of here any other way than what I'm offering you? Or do you still foolishly believe that your so-called friend will come back for you? Such a fanciful imagination you have..._

… _..._

 _I have to go now, I'm sure you understand just how demanding my position can be at times. But before I go, allow me to indulge myself one last time..._

 _One way or another, you're never getting out of here..._

Kayla bolted upright, her eyes darting wildly around the alchemist's hut in blind panic. Her wings, sore and cramped from their prolonged confinement, sluggishly pushed against the iron brace. Her muscles moving on memory alone, the shadow dragoness struggled to rise, only for her injured right shoulder to scream in protest. With a strangled cry of pain, the dragoness tumbled out of the nest and onto her back, the hearty thud of her horns striking the floor and the ever mocking rattle of her chain echoing around the otherwise still cabin.

After asserting that her prison was wooden instead of the black stone from her dream, Kayla allowed her eyes to drift close as pain pulsed through her shoulder. Clenching her teeth, she carefully caressed her injured shoulder, gingerly prodding the now damp bandages with a gentle claw. Even with the healing factor of the red gems, there was still a startling amount of damage Frenzy had managed to inflict with just a single stab. At least the snake's bandages seemed to be holding up well enough. Thanks to the red gem, the worst of her injury had been alleviated and she should be back in action in roughly two weeks. As long as she made absolutely sure not to aggravate the wound further by engaging in any excessive use of the corresponding limb.

 _Looks like I'm already off to a stellar start in that regard._ She thought to herself glumly. Groaning, she carefully rolled onto her uninjured side and squinted up at the offending early morning sunlight trickling in through the window. Craning her neck to inspect her injury, Kayla grimaced as she noticed the pure white bandages were already stained a dark crimson.

"Hey, botany bookworm, where you at? I need fresh rags pronto!" The thief called out, her breathing finally calming as the nightmares faded into obscurity. While last night had been a rare lapse in judgment, Kayla had no intention of letting up with whatever nicknames came to mind for the scrawny poison dragon. No matter how carefully he treated her injuries, all while lecturing her on the importance of good sanitation. Although, maybe she should cut back on flight related names, now that she had a chance to see what the hulking savage of an ape had done with-

"Good morning."

There was no scamper of long clawed feet, not nervous stutter in response to her summons. And that voice was much too deep to ever resemble Xavier's, even if he spontaneously morphed into a full grown adult overnight. Despite having just resolved to take it easy, Kayla leapt upright, her sight swimming before her as more spurts of blood leaked into her bandages. Aggressively pushing back against the darkness flickering at the edge of her vision, she awkwardly hopped around to face the storeroom, a growl already building at the back of her throat at the sight of who awaited her.

Seated on a low crate was the Warlord himself, one leg propped up against the other as his eyes methodically scanned the pages of a book he held in one hand. This time, Rakk was only lightly clothed, wearing pants and shirt made from a pale white pelt and strung together with strips of stiff leather. He was lacking the ape clan's signature hood, his shaggy mane of hair hanging unobstructed around his head and shifting placidly in response to the odd breeze that swept through the room. As she took in the ape's rather uncouth appearance, Kayla noted that occasional patches of his hair were unusually short or missing entirely, mementos of countless struggles and battles long passed. The thought that some of those injuries were invariably caused by her fellow dragons did little to set the shadow dragoness at ease, despite Rakk's obvious attempt at a more disarming presentation.

A cursory check of the room confirmed that Xavier was nowhere to be seen, nor were any additional guards posted by the door or window. Maintaining her defensive stance, Kayla scoffed at her captor. "What in the ancestor's name do you want? I'm not in the mood for any more of your pseudo-intellectual drivel today." Nothing about the ape's outward appearance screamed that he was here for retribution, but Kayla couldn't afford to let her guard down for even an instant. All it would take was another wound to seriously jeopardize her escape plans.

Rakk did not immediately reply, instead choosing to let her stew in the tense silence that followed. Even as the War Chief studiously analyzed his current page, a slightest twinge of apprehension crossed Kayla's thoughts. The gig was up, he knew what she took. Why else would he be here? As unpleasant as such a tool certainly was, Kayla had been hoping that its absence would not be noticed for a little while longer. But with the way her luck had been going, Rakk had probably woken up with a hunk of who knew what stuck up one of his nostrils and when he reached for his trusty nose-cleaner only to find it missing...

 _Relax, he's just a dumb ape. He doesn't hold all the cards, no matter how much he wants me to think he does._ But the self-confidence boost dwindled the longer the two remained motionless, each lost in their own individual train of thought. Kayla's eyes briefly flicked to the simple wooden box tucked into an inconspicuous corner of the storeroom, both the hard-won metal trinket and partially full jars of acid were hidden away as best as Xavier could manage. It was a pity the items were too bulky and numerous to toss into the stink bomb stash as well, but the alchemist had guaranteed her that they would not be discovered unless the apes conducted a full audit of his gear. Rakk didn't appear to even notice the box, so enwrapped was he in his lengthy tome. Which meant that under no circumstances was she going to draw his attention towards it, the dragoness' eyes quickly returning back to her unexpected visitor, lest he catch her gaze.

Presently, Rakk uncrossed his legs and placed a flattened length of what might have once been a squirrel's tail into the book to mark his place. Snapping the volume shut, he set it down on the crate beside him before matching her gaze with a neutral expression. "I was hoping to finish our little discussion last night, namely the parts I didn't get to before Frenzy had his _minor_ episode. And..." The ape bent forward a little, inclining his head towards the still wary dragoness. "I wanted to apologize for the treatment you have received thus far."

A snarl caught in Kayla's throat at the ape's unexpected words, the apology only serving to put her on edge even more. "Apologize? You want to just waltz in here while I'm still bleeding and chained up, expecting me to grovel at whatever piece-of-crap amends you're trying to dish out?" Had she not been in a considerable amount of pain, she might have found the Warlord's attempts to placate her laughable.

To her further annoyance, Rakk took in her rant amicably, nodded along in agreement to her words. "True, true, not even Voxus is quite that subservient. Nor do I plan to cut your chain or grant you the use of more red gems, so I imagine my words will only ring hollow in your ears."

"You're damn right about one thing at least." Kayla grumbled, her rage already dissipating. It would do her no good to rail against the War Chief for the time being. Not only was he immune to a Frenzy-like provocation, but they did appear to be well and truly alone. There was no one else, not even that spineless traitor, to break things up should Rakk start to get barbarous.

"Rest assured, I have a strong rationale for doing so." Rakk spoke gregariously as he leaned forward from the crate to peer closer at the caged dragoness. "A handful of individuals in the Viper's Fang despise your species with every fiber of their being. If they somehow got the impression that you and Voxus were being well cared for, they might take matters into their own hands. I'm sure you can picture the rest."

Kayla snorted. She had met a fair few silver-tongues throughout her travels, but not even the best among them could pedal the amount of bullshit Rakk was shoveling with any semblance of plausibility. "Right... And I'm sure that you, the ape the tracks his dragon kills by slicing his own hideous nose, is secretly my new best friend."

"Oh, these?" The War Chief paused to tap the numerous pale cuts dotting his muzzle. "That's quite an interesting story as fate would have it. While I have fought and killed your brethren on the bloodstained fields of war, I assure you it is far less than the tally you see before you."

Gritting her teeth, Kayla reluctantly took a seat as the ape began to regale her with his entire life story. "The first dragon I ever killed was during the conquest of Munitions Forge. He was a fire dragon, and very much in his element so to speak. I was a lowly sergeant then, and had just finished watching the dragon incinerate half of a neighboring squad. I don't know if you've ever smelt burning hair, but it's a scent that certain lingers in the mind."

"Oh, I've smelt it before." Kayla spat distastefully on the ground in between them. "This hasn't been the first time I've had to break out of an ape prison." The memory of the sulfurous stench drifting off the charred corpses nearly made her sick. Damn it, trust her nightmares to drag those memories back out of her subconscious.

"Is that so?" Rakk muttered disapprovingly. "Regardless, by the time the dragon finally reached me, he was tapped out of magic and sporting so many grievous wounds that I was amazed he could still stand. His fighting spirit never wavered, as he raked his claws across my then pristine nose even as I dug my knife into his heart. It was a warrior's death, which is the best thing I could have given my mortally-wounded adversary."

"And I bet all your despicable buddies were so impressed that you managed to down a dragon." Kayla tapped her foot, having already found the story increasingly mundane. "Let me guess, you cut off his wing too, but it just wouldn't fit into your measly little tent."

"I would appreciate it if you ceased making unfounded accusations against me." Rakk interjected, his pleasant expression briefly switching to one of irritation. "But yes, such wounds did earn me a promotion in the aftermath of the battle, despite my protests I might add. Alas, in order to impress and gain the undying loyalty of those under my new command, I have maintained the facade by adding a new tick or two every time I participated in a battle where I _might_ have slain a dragon. To this day, I have only killed three of your kind, all of them proud warriors in the heat of battle. The thought of having to add either you or Voxus to my grim tally is honestly revolting to me."

"You keep talking like any of this should be radically changing my impression of you, but all I'm hearing is more of the same tough-guy bravado even the most pathetic of your race spews out at the first chance they get." Kayla shot back, earning her a slight frown from the ape. "And here's a free tip. Most people don't try to simultaneously pass themselves off as both this merciless killer and this poor misunderstood soul who balks at killing kids."

"The point I was trying to get across was that I was just a soldier." Rakk stood, taking a few impatient paces across the cramped room before shooting a glance back towards the shadow dragoness. "Do you honestly think I had the power to change anything back then? Maim Wind and I, we were both just following orders. There's not much else you can do in war other than keep your head down and pray it all ends soon."

"Oh, my mistake. Now that you finally got a position of power, I can plainly see you would much prefer to be a slave driver rather than a boring old soldier." Kayla replied scathingly. Rubbing her injured shoulder with her left forepaw, she glanced around to see if Xavier had left any spare bandages about. Sadly, there was no such luck, meaning that she would have to bear with the already soaked linens for a little while longer.

Rakk was silent for the span of several seconds, staring blankly at a nondescript wall before finally giving a slight shake of the head and resuming his pacing. "Do you know why I wanted you and Voxus at that meeting last night Black Wing?" He asked abruptly, still holding a contemplative expression.

Noting how quickly the ape changed the subject once he couldn't think of a way to spin her accusations in a more positive light, Kayla gave a dismissive shrug. "Not really, it just seemed like you wanted an excuse to gloat. In which case I would have to recommend a plan that doesn't sound like a hatchling's schoolyard fantasy."

"Wrong." The Warlord responded succinctly. "It's because I don't want this to seem like slavery. If anything, there is nothing more I would prefer than to be working with both of you on equal footing in this endeavor. But it causes me no shortage of pain to admit that with the way things are in this day in age, I can't expect such cooperation to be given freely."

The shadow dragoness narrowly suppressed a groan. "See, this is what I'm talking about. Because from what you're telling me, if it looks like slavery, sounds like slavery," Kayla briefly rattled the links of her ever-present chain together, "...and most importantly _feels_ like slavery, then it's obviously just a poor misunderstood Warlord who only wants the whole world to just chill out and be friends with every dragon he comes across. Honestly, it's a mistake anyone could make, really."

The ape hummed, his fingers once more batting out a frantic tempo on the top of a nearby barrel. Noting the slight cracks in Rakk's facade, Kayla allowed herself to settle back and wait for him to tire of the charade. The only thing that remained to be seen was how long the Warlord would carry on before she vexed him into reverting to his original demeanor. But once that happened, she could only hope that Frenzy's dragon-hating antics were not learned from watching his idol.

The silence was abruptly punctuated by a scrape as Rakk grasped the original crate he had been perched upon and drew it closer to the prison bars. Sitting back down so that his knees were almost poking through the gaps, the War Chief clasped his hand and leaned forward. "Well Black Wing, how about-"

"And stop calling me that." The black dragoness snapped. "I don't know what the hell it means, but it's seriously pissing me off."

"As you wish Kayla." Caught off guard by the ease at which the ape adhered to her command, she was unable to respond before he resumed right where he had left off. "How about we make a deal? You help get me into the ruins of the southern dragon temple, and I will ensure that you are then promptly released and not pursued, regardless of the emphatic protests from individuals such as Captain Frenzy."

Still rattled from the ape's casual use of her name, Kayla had enough wherewithal to at least appear as if she was considering Rakk's proposition. _When did he even learn my name anyways? Never mind, that's not important right now._ What she should be focusing on was how much she stood to gain by pretending to accept the offer. In the long run, it could potentially lull Rakk into a false sense of security, especially if her current plan with Xavier went up in smoke. In addition, the two dragons might be able to weasel a few more red gems out of the Warlord's possession if any of his subordinates got out of hand. After all, she wouldn't be too useful breaking into an ancient dragon temple while she was leaking blood everywhere. But perhaps most importantly, a refusal could signal to Rakk she meant to wage a one-dragon war against the clan, an implication which would only be met with truly draconian discipline.

But there was no need to overplay her hand either. Maintaining an aloof poise, she lazily flicked her tail around to check the recently cleaned appendage for nonexistent scratches. "So in other words, if I play nice and act as a tour guide for your little expedition, I'll be free to go? Does the trip also include complimentary purple dragon sightseeing?"

Rakk held up an open palm as he gave another sigh. "You've made your opinion on the validity on my claims quite clear. It's apparent that the only way to settle the debate once and for all is when we arrive at the location itself. So if you could move on to more nuanced topics..."

"But you know I could be right." She quickly countered, not willing to let the subject go so easily. "If you've seen them with your own two eyes, maybe there's some legitimacy to these so-called purple dragons, but this temple of yours is just rumors and conjecture. As hilarious as it would be to watch you flounder upon not finding your supposed trump card, this deal sounds like I'll be hung out to dry so that you can save some face."

Rakk could only give a halfhearted shrug in response. "True, but if the temple is real, there is no logical reason to either kill or imprison you any longer. If anything, you would be my messenger back to Warfang, to let them know that we are not to be trifled with. All you need to do is find me the weapon. And believe me," the ape brought himself even closer, half of his scarred nose now poking clean through the bars. "If the temple still stands in some capacity, what I am searching for will be there. And it will be everything I've ever dreamed of and more."

Kayla kept her face unresponsive, but her mind was rapidly progressing the implications of the Warlord's words. Now that she thought about it, he had been almost naively unclear just what it was he was hoping to loot from the temple. At that time, she had chalked it up to him not even having the remotest idea himself, but the conviction in his voice bespoke of much deeper insight. Rakk did have quite a few very old books, and she had to admit that children's novels seemed to be a very small minority of his library. If he was able to have enough information to pinpoint the temple's location from such a vague initial clue, he must already know what awaited within. _If such a temple even exists, I certainly can't remember ever hearing about a sanctuary devoted to us minority elements..._

"And if you are correct in the end..." Rakk voiced roused Kayla from her contemplations and she quickly switched her wandering eyes back to the ape's face. "Well, then I suppose the only assurance I can give you is that I am an ape of my word. I will uphold my end of the bargain once we're confirmed beyond all reasonable doubt that my treasure is gone. So," Rakk paused, unthreading his hands and sticking one shaggy limb in between the two bars in outstretched handshake. "Do we have a deal?"

 _As if. It's a lopsided shitshow even if he's half the trustworthy saint he's attempting to pass himself off as. You'd have to have been hatched yesterday or be desperate beyond reason to ever consider any promises this buffoon gives. If that traitor doesn't come through with that acid, Sakk of Crap and his merry band of murderers will skin me alive when all's said and done._

"Sure, we have a deal. I guess I'm not used to an ape being so frank with me. But you better keep the black-furred wacko and any of his peanut-brained friends far away from me. I don't know how you apes live, but that sort of treatment is the fastest deal breaker in existence." Is what Kayla ended up saying, quietly stowing away her inner doubts. She was lying through her teeth, but she imagined it was pretty obvious to Rakk that any positive answer would be deceitful to some degree. It was going to turn into a game of cat and mouse, and only time would tell who was what. In the meantime, the dragoness needed to maintain the fragile status quo for however long as that backstabbing snake needed to kick off her liberation.

It wasn't until the War Chief gave an expectant shake of the outstretched arm accompanied with a set of raised eyebrows did Kayla realize he was demanding a bit more from her than some half hearted appeasement. Drawing her paws in closer to herself despite the biting pain from her injury, she met Rakk's gaze unflinchingly. "But I'm not going to shake your hand. Just because you hold yourself up as a courteous diplomat doesn't mean that you're still not just another dirty ape at the end of the day."

Rakk kept the hand offered for another few seconds before withdrawing it with a sigh. "That's... justified, considering our species' history. It's a shame too. Despite the warmongering front I put on for the clan, I really do admire dragons. Such majestic creatures, imbued with magnificent powers. Were it not for Malefor's machinations driving us to war all those centuries ago, I'd like to think I could have been an ambassador between our two races. Sadly, empty promises and thinly veiled hatred is all I foresee in our species' future." Scooping up his book in one hand, Rakk stood and stretched, sliding the crate back to its previous position in the alchemist's meticulously organized storeroom.

"Don't try and take the supposed moral high ground here." Kayla snarled, also rising to her feet in a three legged limp. "Ripping a kid's limb off and displaying it like some kind of trophy over your bed firmly places you in the realms of the utterly deranged. I'm only taking your deal because it works out for me, but we both know you'll be torn to shreds when Warfang learns about this. Mystical weapon or not."

"Utterly deranged? You mean you don't know?" Rakk paused on his way towards the door, turning back to give her a befuddled smile. Upon seeing Kayla's confusion, he nodded solemnly. "I see, Voxus hasn't told you that story yet. While I display those bones as a trophy to maintain my bloodthirsty reputation amongst the clan, how they got there is a rather fascinating fable you should ask him about."

Not quite sure what Rakk was getting at, Kayla maintained her stalwart outward front. "I'm sure having a wing forcibly ripped out by an insane ape Warlord is quite a traumatic experience that I have no trouble picturing myself. You think I'm actually sick enough to make him relive that?"

"Well no, I don't begrudge him for not wanting to delve into that particular aspect." Rakk replied. "But it's what came just before that may interest you. In truth, that amputation wasn't some depraved attack or ritualistic humiliation. It was the most humane punishment I could hope to give him, and the only way I could ensure his life was spared."

Stepping back towards the cell, Rakk tucked the book under one arm and meet the dragoness' revolted stare with his own impassive mask. "You see Kayla, he once yearned for freedom just as fiercely as you do. I took pity on him, helped for a time, and at one point I even considered assisting him directly in his valiant efforts. Until he showed his true colors that is. One dark and terrible night, during his final attempt, Voxus mercilessly slaughtered our previous War Chief. It wasn't a freak outcome to a pitched duel, or some other twist of fate. It was premeditated, performed in cold blood, and was completely unnecessary for him to escape. But he did so regardless, because all that pent up hatred had to go somewhere."

Kayla blinked, mulling over the revelation. Xavier, the bumbling, stuttering wimp, killing an ape warlord by himself? No way, there was absolutely no way they could be talking about the same dragon, it would be like saying a flea somehow took down a heavy armored buffalo beetle. But then again, he was a poison dragon. Conceivably, she supposed all it would take was one tiny prick while the victim was distracted or sleeping...

"The rest of the clan were all baying for his blood after that." Rakk continued on emotionlessly. "They were going to kill Voxus, the only real question was how. I don't have the stomach to describe their plans in depth, but it wouldn't have been quick or humane for the young dragon. I was the only one to advocate for keeping him alive. For allowing him to serve under us so that he could perhaps one day find a way to build some semblance of a life here. The amputation was a necessary compromise to ensure he would never receive an opportunity to avoid his just penitence."

"So consider that, Kayla." Rakk finished, standing up straight once more. "He may have you fooled with the whimpering coward act, but give it enough time and he'll slip up. And then maybe you'll reconsider just which of us is truely despicable."

 _He's lying_. Kayla thought, not trusting herself to speak aloud lest she betray any of her inner deliberations. _He's just trying to drive a wedge between us since he knows that if we actually work together, there's a chance that we can beat him._ Despite shoring up her mental fortitude, Rakk's words still left a tiny itch of doubt in the back of her mind. She couldn't help but think back to that night they had met, the moment when Xavier decided to stab her in the back. There hadn't been a single moment of hesitation, not a flicker of remorse back then. Did she really buy that he was just trying to help her?

"And I imagine he'll spin quite a different tale if you press him about it." Rakk was at the door now, looking over his shoulder at the silent dragoness. "He's created quite the narrative as the years passed, about how much he despises making weapons and only ever wanted to be a doctor. Who knows?" Rakk gave a short bark of laughter. "He might even as gone so far to tell you he hates working with acids, despite the fact that it always has been his forte."

And with that, the War Chief was gone, leaving Kayla with nothing but unanswered questions and a newfound sense of trepidation.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything else to do apart from dwelling on the new bits of information Rakk had graciously provided her, even as the rest of the villiage went into overdrive. As it turned out, the Warlord's expedition wasn't some far off goal that would take months of hard work and preparation. The supplies and materials were already set to go at a snap of the finger, the clan emptying their impressive stores with admirable efficiency. And with everyone bustling about to their assigned places, it certainly looked as though Rakk ran a finely tuned machine, both ape and dragon serving as nothing more than cogs in his grand design.

While such chaos and disorganization would have normally provided the thief a plethora of easy marks, it seemed as though Xavier's tree was secluded from a bulk of the goings on. Much like the previous day, Kayla spent most of her time staring out the window, futilely attempting to collect any additional useful information on a locale she quickly realized she would leave behind long before utilizing any of the gleaned knowledge.

She didn't even have anyone else to interact with throughout most of the day, although Kayla was torn as to whether this was a boon or a missed opportunity. Her prison seemed drastically understaffed, but the weighty lengths of iron still binding her to the cell bars prevented her from exploiting this weakness. Even Mourn seemed to be occupied elsewhere, despite the constant rumblings of the dragoness' stomach. Not even the flightless snake dared to show his sniveling face, something with only served to rake her ire even more due to her all but useless dirty bandages. Maybe she should throw the bloodstained rags back in his face when he did show up. It wouldn't really accomplish much, but it would make her feel better. Slightly.

So when Kayla pulled herself out of the plant-filled crate she had been fruitlessly rummaging through at the sound of someone entering the hut, she was expecting to be met either with food or an opportunity for some much needed catharsis. But her expectations quick soured as she noted the trio of apes sidling in. No familiar faces here, and the rather plain set of leather armor they all wore seemed to indicate they were just typical grunts. But if the predatory leers they were giving her were any indication, these apes weren't here out of any concern for Kayla's well being.

"Well lookie here boys, one overgrown lizard, chained up and all alone." The lead ape spoke, coming to a halt just a few feet from Kayla. A growl already building in the back of her throat, the shadow dragoness pushed off from the crate and dropped into a defensive crouch.

"Come another inch closer, I dare you!" She bristled, her tail whipping back and forth menacingly even as she attempted to keep weight off her injured limb. Kayla had known it was only a matter of time before some of the apes came by for some entertainment, but she hadn't planned on being in this vulnerable a state when the moment arrived.

Sure enough, her display did little to deter the primates. Poking his head around the first ape, another soldier with a stouter nose jeered at her. "Ohhh, such big talk from such a small crystal-sucker! I'm sure good 'ol Black Fur will sort you out in a jiffy if Rakk will let 'um."

The lead ape grunted in accession, his eyes falling to the crimson bandages around Kayla's shoulder. "Looks like he already has. Must not have been enough though." The ape grunted and took another step closer, his one-handed sword lightly swinging against his hip. "But I'm sure Frenzy wouldn't mind if I gave a few more suppli-.. suppla-.. follow-up lessons."

The other two apes gave a dark chuckle as Kayla felt her chest seize up. So these numbskulled primates were disciples of the despicable dickhead Frenzy, wasn't that a shocker. But for now, she had to figure out how to get out of this predicament while still in one piece. Running was out of the question, so that only left fighting. But three against one with barely any elemental power while being forcibly restrained were not tipping the odds in her favor. But she could still make this work, her best bet was to shadow phase past the first ape and immediately get the jump on the other two. That would buy her the advantage of surprise, but what was going to stop the first ape from just reaching down and grabbing her chain...

"Don't worry little one." The lead ape closed the remaining distance to her, cracking his knuckles noisily. "I'll be sure not to leave any noticeable marks on you..."

"Oh good, some help at last." The four occupants blinked in surprise as a new voice intruded upon the conversation. All heads simultaneously turned to the doorway, where the outline of a single dragon stood silhouetted against the brilliant daylight. Adorned with his usual satchels, Xavier stepped into the building, seemingly unconcerned with the simian intruders. Kayla maintained her ready stance, uncertain what to make of the poison dragon's reappearance.

The apes seemed similarly taken aback and could do little but stand idly by as Xavier carefully pushed his way past them until he reached Kayla. Giving her the slightest of nods, he unslung the bags next to the open crate before straightening back up and gesturing to the trio of interlopers. "You two," he spoke authoritatively, pointing at the two apes furthest away from the dragons. "I need to get these supplies moved. Start taking whatever you can carry and move them out to my wagon, it's out in the secondary staging zone. Don't worry about organizing anything, just leave it next to the wagon."

"Hold up-"

"And you," Xavier continued, successfully overriding the lead ape's complaint without so much as batting an eye. "I need someone to get me more jagweed. You know what that is, right? It's a low growing fern that you ought to find some wild batches of out in the eastern woods. I need more of the leaves, they're three pronged in a spade-like shape and quite prickly. Grab as much as you can manage and take it out to the wagon as well." Xavier explained, tracing the shape he was describing in the air with a single pointed claw.

"Now listen here." The ape snarled, lurching forward suddenly and wrapping his hands around both of the other dragon's zig-zagged horns. Kayla flinched, retreating a few paces away from the duo lest she get swept up into the mix. "You don't give orders here, you obey us and hope that we don't break you too badly in return. Got it scalie?"

Rather than struggling against the ape's manhandling, Xavier adopted a pensive expression as he studied the simian's face. "Wait, I know you. Blade Break, right?" The ape's momentarily confusion was all the confirmation the dragon needed. "I thought so. Your older sister got pretty badly burned from the fires the other day. If I hadn't administered my numbing salve, she'd be a world of pain right now."

Yanking Xavier closer so that they were nose to nose, Blade Break's lips parted to expose a set of sharp, yellowed teeth as he menaced the young dragon. "Are you trying to threaten me, scum-spitter? Because if you harm one hair on her, not even Rakk himself can stop me from turning your innards into outtards."

Giving a light chuckle at the almost painful attempt of clever wordplay, Xavier waved away the ape's threats with a free paw. "Oh ancestor's forbid I do anything like that. Does it look like I'm in any position to blackmail someone? What I was going to say is the jagweed is a pretty key component to that salve your sister uses, and I'm clean out. You can beat and cut me up as much as you like, but you can't force me to work with ingredients I don't have."

Blade Break seemed to hesitate, some of his confidence evaporating as he looked back towards his comrades for reassurance. Meanwhile, Kayla slowly began to relax, sensing that the other dragon had the situation well in hand. Diplomacy had never been one of her strong suits, so it wasn't an option the shadow dragoness typically considered when it came to solving her conflicts. Then again, she usually didn't bother to get to know her captors well enough to talk about their immediate family either.

Capitalizing on the ape's indecisiveness, Xavier adopted his most placating of tones. "Look, your sister and a lot of other apes need that salve. If you go get the leaves for me, I'll make sure she's the first one I check in with on my evening rounds. Alright?"

Having only received noncommittal shrugs from his companions, Blade Break turned back to Xavier, a scowl still etched on his face. After a few tense seconds of silence, the ape released the dragon's horns, allowing Xavier to stumble back to where his travel bags lay abandoned. Glowering at the alchemist, the miffed footape jabbed an accusing finger in the young dragon's face. "Fine. Just know that I'm doing this for her, never for you."

"Of course." Xavier replied evenly, with only Kayla noting how he let out a small breath in relief as Blade Break shoved his way to the exit. After regarding the dragons with their own expressions of animosity, the other two apes turned to leave as well, both of them halfheartedly snatching the lightest looking leather bags on their way out.

Finally alone, Xavier let out a massive sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. Unbuttoning his own satchel, the dragon quickly began to unload the contents for proper storage. "You know, there's a surprisingly number of ways to end a fight that don't actually involve fighting." He commented to the still wary Kayla, even as he pulled out a bundle of three-pronged prickly leaves that looked suspiciously like what he had just sent the ape to retrieve.

"They came looking for a fight, I was just defending myself. If you're looking for a thank you, you're not getting one." She shot back, watching him move the unpacked plant life with a calculating gaze. Unbidden, Rakk's words about Xavier merely pretending to be the caring doctor floated back to the forefront of her thoughts. _It's certainly a tactic he was able to use quite effectively against those clowns just now. But if he is faking it, he's quite good at it, so I can't be sure just yet._

Noticing that she was still watching him, Xavier paused as he clutched the bundle of jagweed close to his chest. "So... Rakk wanted to talk you alone this morning. I'm relieved to see he didn't hurt you any further."

Kayla blew a thin stream of air out of the corner of her mouth. "No, but I might of almost preferred that to the saccharine bullshit he shoveling. About how he wished we could all work together, but he just can't because of war and stuff. Spoken like a true hypocrite of course."

Xavier gave an eager nod and let out a humorless laugh in response. "True, I was surprised he thought he could get through to you with that tired old act. It's almost like he thinks the rest of the world reveres him as much as Frenzy does."

Popping open the top of a barrel, the alchemist deposited the jagweed inside, where it landed with a slight rustle. Reaching a paw up to untie her bandages, Kayla's diatribe about the lack of suitable replacements died in her throat as she noticed his tail give a sudden twitch. Still standing on his hind legs and braced against the barrel, Xavier gave her a covert glance out of the corner of his eye. "Did... um, did he talk to you about anything else? You know, while he was here this morning."

The nervous edge encroaching on Xavier's voice gave Kayla pause, and she took the opportunity to scrutinize him. Maybe there was something he didn't want her to know about him. Something that Rakk might of told her, perhaps about the fate of the previous war chief?

There were a lot of things that still rubbed her the wrong way about the dragon. How he seemed to just cower and do whatever he was told. The almost friendly relationship he occasionally seemed to have with some members of the clan. The fact that she knew almost nothing of his past prior to his imprisonment. And perhaps most unsettling, how he seemed more limited by elemental power than knowledge or reluctance to work with material whenever he turned his attentions to the acid escape plan. _He might have even gone so far as to say he hates working with acid….._

But at the same time, not trusting him wasn't a luxury she had right now. At the moment, the snake was her ticket out of here, and she couldn't allow the seeds of doubt sewed by Rakk to undermine their fragile relationship. But at the same time, Kayla realized that she had been placing too much of her hopes on the back of the mysterious dragon. As soon as they left this ancestor-forsaken village, she would have to redouble her efforts to find an escape route without his help.

Realizing that she had been silent for a suspicious amount of time, Kayla hid her inner debate with a quite hiss of pain as she peeled away the bandages from her wound. "Maybe, but I tuned out after it became clear he was just stroking his own ego." She lied, flicking the linen so that they slapped into the barrel besides Xavier. _I'll ask him about the last_ _w_ _ar_ _c_ _hief and his wing, but not now. If he is hiding something, I don't want to wind up chained up in the same cell as a deranged lunatic out for my blood._

Xavier however, didn't quite seem reassured by her deflection. Hopping back down off the barrel, he turned to her, his teal blue eyes gazing deep into her own. "Listen, Kayla, I know you're going to tell me that this is stupidly obvious, but it's worth repeating. You can't trust a single word that crosses that ape's lips. He likes to pretend he's this refined academic that's forced to put on this mask of a savage barbarian in order to maintain order in the clan. But it's the exact opposite. He doesn't even use a weapon when he fights, only his bare fists. And he still wins too, against both ape and dragon. But even though he can snap your neck like a twig, he'll still prefer to say whatever he needs to in order to lead you right into whatever trap he's dreamed up. You need to trust me on this." Ending his speech, Xavier settled back, apprehensively awaiting her response.

Kayla made sure not to disappoint. "Wow, more fabulous tidbits of incredible advice from our resident ape-ologist. Next you'll be telling me they have this thick, matted hair covering most of their bodies or that they've been at war with dragons for centuries. Now come on, let's just get this stab wound fixed before one of those stinking primates comes to play pick-the-scale-off-the-dragon again."

Her sarcasm seemed to ease Xavier out of his deathly serious mood, and the dragon eagerly nodded as his remaining wing gave a brief stretch. "Oh, yes, of course. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. You didn't reopen the scab too much I hope?"

As Xavier tended to her wounds, Kayla took the opportunity to reflect on her current predicament. Here she was, leashed like some wild animal, in the middle of an ape stronghold with only a duplicitous poison dragon for company. On top of that, they were about to leave on a grand expedition across a war-torn world to a mythical lost dragon temple, all in the hopes of finding a magical artifact to defeat the even more magical numerous purple dragons roaming the land. And she supposed the story was going to end with Kayla believing in herself and her ever-dependent friends, somehow stumbling across her soul mate, and miraculously saving the world from total destruction.

 _You know, that kinda sounds like one of the stories I used to like as a kid._ She thought, clamping her jaws tightly together to suppress a gasp of pain as Xavier sterilized the wound. _Almost makes me want to go back in time and punch the little brat for being so cloyingly idealistic._

 **-*-End of Act I-*-**


End file.
